Daniel UGWO

As Nigeria looks ahead to the 2027 General Elections, political actors, civil society organizations, and the general public are beginning to focus on the readiness of our electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Over successive election cycles, Nigeria has made commendable progress in upgrading its electoral framework—most notably through the legislative support for digital innovations and data-driven systems. The Federal Government has also consistently prioritized timely budgetary allocations to ensure that administrative, logistical, and technical requirements are adequately funded.

However, modern elections run heavily on data. From the personal details of ad hoc staff to the sensitive biometrics of millions of voters, INEC is undeniably a "Data Controller of Major Importance" under the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) 2023. Therefore, safeguarding the integrity of future elections is no longer just about logistics; it is also about strict compliance with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) guidelines. It is critical to address these internal administrative vulnerabilities and data protection gaps objectively before the 2027 polls.

Streamlining Ad Hoc Recruitment and Protecting Applicant Data

A vital component of election administration is the deployment of ad hoc personnel—primarily National Youth Corps members, tertiary institution staff, and qualified citizens. The integrity of an election depends heavily on the competence and neutrality of these temporary workers stationed across thousands of polling units. Reports from previous elections highlight recurring discrepancies during local ad hoc recruitment. For instance, in locations such as Ife Central Local Government Area of Ile-Ife in Osun State, during the 2023 elections, the names of portal-shortlisted applicants who completed the official three-day training were omitted from the final deployment lists displayed at local central office. In their place, unverified individuals were reportedly substituted at the eleventh hour. Beyond administrative fraud, this manipulation is a direct violation of data processing principles. When INEC collects the personal data (such as names, phone numbers, and bank details) of citizens through its recruitment portal, it does so for a specific purpose. Deliberately discarding the data of legitimately trained applicants and substituting them with unverified gate-crashers without proper documentation constitutes an internal data breach. To build confidence ahead of 2027, local electoral offices must be subjected to stricter oversight to ensure that collected personal data is used strictly for its intended lawful purpose.

Enhancing Technical Preparedness: BVAS, iREV, and Data Privacy

The introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing (iREV) portal represented significant milestones in Nigeria's search for electoral transparency. However, technology is only as effective as the data governance framework supporting it. The BVAS device captures and verifies biometric data, which the NDPA classifies as highly sensitive personal data. Field feedback indicates that practical, hands-on training with BVAS devices was occasionally constrained by time and limited hardware availability during training sessions. In some instruction centres across Ile-Ife in 2023, dozens of participants had to share a single device, leaving some polling workers less equipped to handle sensitive voter data securely under the pressure of Election Day queues.

Furthermore, technical delays and illegible document uploads to the iREV portal during critical collations created room for public speculation. Under the NDPA, data processing must guarantee accuracy, security, and transparency. As we approach 2027, INEC must ensure robust cybersecurity measures, adequate backup systems, and comprehensive data-handling training for all technical handlers to fulfill the promise of digital transmission without compromising the data rights of Nigerians.

Eliminating Unethical Conflicts of Interest and Privacy Violations

Maintaining absolute neutrality requires preventing any situation where election officials or security agents appear beholden to political interests. In past elections, observations were raised regarding informal visits by party representatives to Registration Area Centres (RACs) on the eve of polls, often under the guise of presenting monetary "gifts" to polling staff. Regardless of intent, such gestures compromise public trust. More disturbingly, compromised poll officials often look away when voters illegally display their cast ballots to party agents. This breaks the fundamental right to the secrecy of the ballot, which is heavily tied to a citizen's right to privacy and data protection. Ahead of 2027, INEC must establish zero-tolerance policies regarding unauthorized welfare packages. Voter choices are strictly confidential, and exposing them due to compromised officials is a serious breach of privacy that the NDPC must critically address in collaboration with electoral authorities.

Mitigating Logistical Delays and Voter Disenfranchisement

Logistical efficiency remains the primary benchmark by which the electorate judges INEC. Persistent challenges—such as the late arrival of voting materials, missing party logos on ballot papers, or a complete failure to open polling units—discourage civic participation. When election materials arrive late through no fault of the voters, simple cancellation of results or outright closure creates a sense of unfair disenfranchisement. Strategic pre-election logistical audits across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory will be vital to preventing these avoidable delays in 2027.

Key Recommendations for the 2027 Election Cycle

To consolidate democratic gains, seal operational loopholes, and align deeply with the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023, the following institutional adjustments are recommended:

• Appointment of Certified Data Protection Officers (DPOs): Because INEC handles large-scale and sensitive personal data, the commission must employ or designate independent Certified Data Protection Officers at national, state, and local government levels. These DPOs will oversee compliance, conduct Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs) for high-risk processing like BVAS deployments, and ensure that the personal data of both voters and ad hoc staff are securely managed.
• Direct Digital Payments for Ad Hoc Personnel: To eliminate middle-level frictions and financial discrepancies, all training and deployment allowances for ad hoc staff should be remitted directly to their verified bank accounts. This must be done using secure financial data processing protocols.
• Skill-Matched Role Assignment: INEC should align candidate qualifications with specific polling roles—deploying applicants with IT backgrounds specifically for BVAS operations to ensure data security protocols are strictly adhered to on the field.
• NDPC Audits and Advanced Technical Solutions: Instead of aggressively cancelling entire polling unit results when over-voting occurs, INEC should explore advanced digital thumbprint reconciliation to isolate illegitimate votes. Furthermore, the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) must actively audit INEC's local and national offices to ensure compliance with data protection laws well before the elections.
• Institutional Recognition and Accountability: Outstanding trainers—who earned widespread praise for their rigorous, professional approach should be commended. Concurrently, formal administrative inquiries should address reported cases of unauthorized ad hoc list of fraudulent INEC officials at local government offices, substituting that on INEC registration portal, treating them simultaneously as administrative fraud and reportable data breaches. Candidate that applied officially, trained and passed should be prioritized for Election Day responsibilities.

A credible election is the bedrock of national stability and development. As preparations begin for the 2027 General Elections, the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission, has a golden opportunity to review operational reports, address administrative gaps, and integrate a robust data protection culture. By combining strict logistics planning with the enforcement of the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023, Nigeria can ensure that the 2027 elections reflect the true, uncompromised will of the people in a secure, transparent, and digitally responsible manner.

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.