Nigerians are raising fresh concerns over transparency and planning in the electoral process as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) moves towards a projected budget of over ₦1 trillion for the 2027 general elections, even as the official timetable is yet to be released.
The development has triggered debates among civil society groups, opposition parties and ordinary citizens who question why such a massive financial commitment is being secured without a clear public roadmap for the polls.
In recent weeks, discussions around the cost of conducting elections in Nigeria have intensified following expert projections that INEC could spend in the region of ₦870 billion to over ₦1 trillion on the 2027 exercise.
Analysts link the rising figures to inflation, logistics, technology deployment and security operations, all of which they say are driving up the cost of elections in a country with over 90 million registered voters and tens of thousands of polling units.
However, what has unsettled many observers is the gap between funding conversations and the absence of an officially sanctioned timetable for the 2027 polls.
INEC has had to repeatedly issue public statements debunking reports circulating on social and traditional media that a timetable and schedule of activities had already been released, describing such publications as false and misleading.
The commission insists it is bound by the Electoral Act 2022, which requires it to publish a Notice of Election not later than 360 days before the date appointed for a general election.
Any purported timetable issued outside that legal framework, INEC stresses, cannot emanate from the commission and should be disregarded by the public and the media.
Despite this clarification, pressure is mounting on INEC and the Federal Government to match the unprecedented scale of proposed funding with a commensurate level of openness, early planning and stakeholder engagement.
Civil society organisations argue that with a budget crossing the trillion‑naira mark, Nigerians deserve timely information on key dates for voter registration, party primaries, campaigns and election day operations to enable proper preparation and oversight.
Opposition voices have also seized on the controversy to question priorities in a struggling economy, warning that without strict accountability mechanisms, a bloated election budget could become another drain on public resources.
They are calling on the National Assembly to subject INEC’s proposals to rigorous scrutiny while ensuring that the commission is not financially starved of what it genuinely needs to run credible, technology‑driven elections in 2027.
For now, Nigerians are left watching the twin tracks of money and time: a record‑breaking electoral budget seemingly taking shape on one hand, and on the other, a yet‑to‑be‑published timetable that will formally signal the start of the 2027 race.
Nigerians have also wondered whether the humongous budget has any correlation with the interests of the incumbent central government in the electoral process and if so, the possible effect of this on the integrity of electoral officials.
Until the commission issues its official schedule through verified channels, uncertainty will likely continue to fuel speculation, scepticism and demands for greater clarity in the countdown to the next general elections.