INEC TO TRACK CAMPAIGN MONEY, VOTE-BUYING AHEAD OF 2027 ELECTION

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has established a joint financial monitoring mechanism with key anti-graft and financial intelligence agencies to track suspicious and illegal campaign expenditure ahead of Nigeria’s January 16, 2027 general election.

The move comes as the commission says the national register of voters has crossed 103 million following the completion of the latest Continuous Voter Registration exercise and final biometric cleanup.

INEC, EFCC, ICPC AND NFIU TO TRACK CAMPAIGN MONEY

INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, disclosed the financial monitoring arrangement during a strategic workshop involving media executives in Abuja. The commission is working with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, NFIU.

Amupitan said the joint mechanism would monitor suspicious and illegal campaign expenditure. He also said surveillance would be strengthened around polling units to detect electoral offences, including vote-buying.

INEC WARNS POLITICIANS OVER VOTE-BUYING

The electoral commission has warned political parties, candidates and their agents that violations of electoral law could result in arrest and prosecution.

Amupitan stressed that elections should be determined by voters rather than financial power. The chairman’s position places campaign finance at the centre of INEC’s preparations for the 2027 elections.

The challenge, however, will be how effectively the agencies can identify suspicious transactions, trace the source of campaign funds and act before or during the election period.

VOTER REGISTER CROSSES 103 MILLION

The announcement on campaign finance came alongside a major update on the size of Nigeria’s electorate.

INEC said the national register has now exceeded 103 million voters after the conclusion of the three-phase Continuous Voter Registration exercise.

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The CVR produced 10,772,421 new registrations before the final Automated Biometric Identification System, ABIS, cleanup.

The biometric process is intended to remove duplicates and improve the integrity of the voter database.

57,000 NEW BVAS DEVICES ACQUIRED

INEC also disclosed that it has acquired 57,000 new Bimodal Voter Accreditation System devices ahead of the 2027 election. The commission says the technological upgrades are part of broader preparations to improve voter accreditation and strengthen the credibility of election results.

It has also introduced an enhanced eEC8A form designed to digitise and cryptographically authenticate polling-unit results before their upload to the INEC Result Viewing portal.

INEC says it is additionally deploying artificial intelligence systems to detect anomalies in database traffic and strengthen cybersecurity.

PVC COLLECTION TO FOLLOW CLEANUP

With the voter register now above 103 million, attention is expected to shift towards Permanent Voter Card collection.

INEC has announced that nationwide PVC collection will begin on Friday, October 9, 2026. This means the final voter-register figure will become more politically significant as registered voters begin the process of obtaining the cards required for participation.

A large register does not automatically translate into a high turnout. Actual participation will depend on PVC collection, voter mobilisation, security, confidence in the process and the willingness of registered voters to turn out on election day.

INEC’S BIGGER 2027 CHALLENGE

The commission is therefore preparing on several fronts at once: voter registration, biometric verification, election technology, campaign finance monitoring, polling-unit surveillance, cybersecurity and staff neutrality.

Amupitan also said electoral officers and temporary election staff would be required to take an oath of neutrality under Section 26 of the Electoral Act 2026.

For the 2027 election, the credibility of the process will depend not only on INEC’s technology but also on whether political actors respect the rules and whether enforcement agencies respond consistently when violations occur.

The new financial monitoring mechanism is consequently a significant test of how seriously Nigeria’s electoral institutions intend to confront vote-buying and the influence of illicit campaign financing, ValidViewNetwork reports.

Ultimately, credible elections require more than a large voter register or sophisticated voting technology. They also require lawful campaign financing, informed voters, neutral election officials and consistent enforcement of electoral rules.