From Premium Times Nigeria · Qosim Suleiman · · 2m
INEC schedules mock accreditation for 2027 elections
INEC to test voting system with mock accreditation ahead of 2027 elections.
In brief
INEC to test voting system with mock accreditation ahead of 2027 elections. INEC will run a nationwide mock accreditation exercise on November 28, 2026, to test its upgraded electoral technology before the January 2027 general elections. Originally reported by Premium Times Nigeria.
INEC schedules mock accreditation
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled a nationwide mock accreditation and voting exercise for 28 November 2026 to test its upgraded electoral technology ahead of the 2027 general elections.
INEC chair announces date
INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan announced the mock accreditation date during a dialogue at Chatham House in London on Thursday, November 13, 2026.
Purpose of mock exercise
The exercise aims to test INEC's accreditation system and electronic transmission of election results ahead of the January and February 2027 elections.
Technical safeguards introduced
INEC has introduced technical safeguards to prevent inaccurate results and over-voting from being uploaded to its Result Viewing Portal (IReV).
Core problem identified
INEC Chair Joash Amupitan stated that the core problem of election result management in Nigeria is not at the polling unit but at the collation centres.
2023 election issues
In 2023, inaccurate results or over-voting were uploaded onto IReV, contributing to a loss of public confidence in the electoral process.
BVAS upgrade
INEC upgraded the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) from 1,250 to 850 registered voters per device to address technical problems during the 2023 elections.
Climate-controlled storage
INEC is constructing climate-controlled storage facilities across states and procuring additional BVAS devices to improve system reliability.
IReV safeguards
The technical safeguard ensures that if a result is not accurate at the polling unit, it will not be uploaded to IReV at all.
2027 election dates
INEC scheduled presidential and National Assembly elections for 16 January 2027, with governorship and state House of Assembly elections on 6 February 2027.
Trust deficit
INEC acknowledged a trust deficit following the 2023 election, which it has yet to fully recover from.
Three priorities
INEC identified insecurity, logistics, and result management as its three major priorities ahead of the 2027 elections.
Safeguards for accuracy
The commission hopes the safeguards will eliminate discrepancies between polling unit results and figures presented at collation centres.
What it means
INEC will run a nationwide mock accreditation exercise on November 28, 2026, to test its upgraded electoral technology before the January 2027 general elections.
