The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has identified poor telecommunications connectivity as the major obstacle preventing the real-time upload of election results from polling units across the country.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, made the disclosure while speaking at the 2025 Digital Nigeria International Conference and Exhibitions in Abuja. He was represented by National Commissioner, May Agbamuche-Mbu.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday by the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Dayo Oketola, the Commission said that despite the significant progress achieved through the deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), inconsistent network coverage continues to hinder seamless result transmission to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal.
Prof. Amupitan noted that Nigeria’s vast and diverse terrain — including isolated communities, mountainous regions and remote riverine settlements — poses a major technological challenge during elections.
“With 176,846 polling units tucked into swamps, perched on mountains, and hidden in far-flung communities, achieving real-time upload of polling-unit results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal remains one of the toughest battles for transparency on Election Day,” he said.
“A tool like the BVAS is only as good as the network it runs on.”
He explained that although BVAS has effectively eliminated voter impersonation, identity theft and multiple voting, the Commission is still grappling with connectivity limitations in several areas of the country.
The INEC Chairman assured that the Commission continues to work closely with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and telecom operators to address the connectivity gaps. He added that INEC is actively exploring alternative technologies to improve result transmission, especially in hard-to-reach communities.
Addressing an audience comprising tech innovators, policymakers and civil society groups, Amupitan described BVAS as a transformative milestone in Nigeria’s electoral evolution.
“The BVAS device has become our frontline defence against identity fraud, ensuring that only the rightful, eligible voter can be accredited at the polling unit. With the biometric safeguards now in place, voter impersonation has been effectively eliminated from our electoral system,” he said.
He reaffirmed the Commission’s determination to strengthen electoral transparency and ensure that future elections benefit from improved technological support across all polling locations.
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