INEC to Audit BVAS and Host Mock Presidential Election Before 2027
In a bid to restore public confidence ahead of the 2027 general elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is planning a comprehensive audit of its voting technology alongside a nationwide mock presidential election.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, revealed the plans on Thursday, July 16, 2026, during a courtesy visit from the outgoing British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr. Richard Montgomery, at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.Prof. Amupitan admitted that the pressure to audit the systems stems directly from the technological hitches and public outcry that followed the 2023 general elections.
According to him, “We are looking at the possibility of auditing all our systems ahead of the 2027 election, as well as conducting a mock presidential election, to test the readiness of our processes and technology before the actual polls,” Amupitan stated.
While noting that these massive exercises were not originally factored into INEC’s current budget, the Chairman stressed that the commission is actively seeking ways to fund and execute them because of how vital they are to the election’s credibility.
The upcoming overhaul will specifically target the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) to ensure seamless data transmission. Cybersecurity upgrades, including penetration testing, system redundancy, and disaster recovery setups, to prevent hacking or server crashes. Amupitan emphasized that electoral success is a “shared responsibility,” calling for backup from political parties, security agencies, and civil society groups to deliver a transparent vote in 2027.
