INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is the federal body constitutionally empowered to oversee elections in Nigeria. Established in 1998, INEC replaced the National Electoral Commission of Nigeria (NECON) and has since managed all transitions of power in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic, including the landmark 2015 and 2023 general elections.

New Leadership and 2026 Mandate

In a significant leadership transition, Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) was sworn in as the 6th substantive Chairman of INEC on October 23, 2025, succeeding Professor Mahmood Yakubu. Under Amupitan’s “Integrity Beyond Reproach” mandate, the commission is currently focused on deep technological reforms to the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) to restore public trust.

Current Activities & 2027 Roadmap

As of February 2026, INEC has just concluded the FCT Area Council Elections (February 21), which served as a crucial litmus test for the new leadership. On February 13, 2026, the commission officially released the timetable for the 2027 General Elections, setting Saturday, February 20, 2027, as the date for the Presidential and National Assembly polls.

Key ongoing projects in 2026 include:

• Continuous Voter Registration (CVR): Nationwide resumption of registration for new voters.
• PVC Distribution: Streamlining the collection of Permanent Voter Cards at the local government level.
• Bye-Elections: Managing legislative vacancies in Rivers (Ahoada East II) and Kano states.

Core Functions

Beyond conducting polls, INEC is responsible for the registration and regulation of political parties (such as the APC and PDP), the delimitation of constituencies, and the provision of voter education across the 36 states of Nigeria.