INEC names the Osun election benchmark for 2027, citing improved BVAS, result transmission and polling operations ahead of the general elections

Independent National Electoral Commission Chairman Professor Joash Amupitan said in Abuja on Friday, August 21, 2026, that the August 15 Osun State governorship election would serve as a benchmark for INEC’s preparations for Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, following improvements in polling-unit operations, BVAS performance, electronic result transmission and crisis management.

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Amupitan made the disclosure while receiving David Sproule, Chargé d’Affaires of the Canadian High Commission in Nigeria, who led a delegation to INEC’s headquarters.

The INEC chairman said the commission had been using recent off-cycle elections as practical testing grounds for electoral reforms.

The sequence has included elections in Anambra State, the Federal Capital Territory and Ekiti State, with Osun now emerging as the most significant reference point ahead of 2027.

The Osun election was held on August 15, with 3,556 of 3,763 polling units, or 94.5 per cent, opening for accreditation and voting by 8:30am, according to figures presented by Amupitan.

He also pointed to what he described as strong BVAS performance, smooth uploads to the INEC Result Viewing Portal and proactive management of election-related challenges.

“We view the success in Osun not as a final destination, but as the gold standard that will guide our preparations for 2027,” Amupitan said.

The commission’s assessment comes after an election that produced a decisive result but also attracted wider scrutiny over the conduct of Nigeria’s electoral process.

Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party secured re-election with 511,067 votes, defeating APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji, who polled 444,815 votes. ADC candidate Najeem Salaam finished third with 17,180 votes.

For INEC, however, the significance of Osun extends beyond the final result. The commission’s focus is increasingly on whether procedures, technology and personnel can operate consistently across a much larger national election.

INEC has already begun preparations for the 2027 polls. Its published timetable puts the presidential and National Assembly elections on January 16, 2027, followed by governorship and State House of Assembly elections on February 6, 2027.

A major test is planned for November 2026, when INEC intends to conduct a nationwide mock accreditation exercise.

The exercise is expected to put BVAS and other electoral equipment through field testing before the general elections, allowing the commission to identify and address operational weaknesses.

Amupitan said INEC’s preparations would centre on five broad priorities: consolidating technological gains, improving electoral inclusion, strengthening institutional and technical capacity, countering misinformation while protecting electoral integrity, and testing equipment and procedures before polling day.

The scale of the 2027 operation will be considerable. Amupitan said INEC expects to require approximately 1.4 million ad-hoc personnel across more than 176,000 polling units nationwide.

Technology is also becoming a more prominent part of the commission’s preparations.

INEC has established a dedicated artificial intelligence unit to examine responsible uses of AI in areas including data management, voter registration and results transmission, while also preparing for emerging threats such as deepfakes and election-related disinformation.

The commission is scheduled to participate in the Global Conference on Responsible AI and Elections in Ottawa from September 9 to 11, organised by the United Nations Development Programme and Elections Canada. Amupitan said the engagement would help INEC examine international approaches to the responsible use of AI during elections.

The emphasis on technological readiness reflects lessons from the 2023 general election, when technical problems affected the IReV results portal and became a major source of public concern. INEC has since considered stronger technology audits and additional mock exercises to reduce the likelihood of a repeat.

The Canadian delegation also offered continued support. Sproule reaffirmed Canada’s interest in Nigeria’s democratic development, including electoral participation, women’s inclusion, public awareness, technical assistance and election observation.

The engagement comes as international partners and Nigerian civil society groups continue to press for greater transparency and public confidence ahead of 2027.

Recent assessments of the Osun poll have described improvements under Amupitan while noting that important challenges remain before Nigerians can regard the electoral system as fully trusted.

Amupitan, for his part, reaffirmed INEC’s independence and neutrality, saying the commission remained committed to delivering elections that are free, fair, credible, transparent and inclusive.

The Osun election benchmark therefore represents both an endorsement of recent operational progress and a demanding standard for the commission.

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With less than five months separating the country from the first major 2027 polling day, INEC will now have to demonstrate that improvements recorded in one state can be reproduced across a nationwide electoral exercise of far greater complexity.