INEC Sets Date for Nationwide Mock Election Ahead of 2027 Polls

INEC Sets Date for Nationwide Mock Election Ahead of 2027 Polls

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled a nationwide mock accreditation and voting exercise for November 28, 2026, ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.

The exercise will test improvements to the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and electronic transmission of election results before the nationwide polls.

INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, announced the date on Thursday during a public dialogue at Chatham House in London, organised alongside the Kimpact Development Initiative.

The discussion, titled “Nigeria’s 2027 Elections: Democratic Trajectory and Regional Stability Beyond the Ballot,” focused on the country’s electoral preparedness and democratic future.

Amupitan explained that the mock exercise would replicate a presidential election, allowing the commission to assess its accreditation and electronic results transmission systems.

He said the November 28 exercise would take place across all states, providing an opportunity to identify and address technical challenges before the 2027 elections.

The chairman also revealed that INEC had introduced additional safeguards to prevent incorrect polling unit figures and results indicating over-voting from appearing on its Result Viewing Portal.

According to him, the measures are designed to strengthen the credibility of electronically transmitted results and prevent irregularities during the electoral process.

Meanwhile, the commission has commenced distributing non-sensitive election materials to selected states as part of preparations for the 2027 general elections.

The announcement was contained in a statement issued in Abuja by Adedayo Oketola, Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the INEC chairman.