The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has received a pre-election needs assessment mission from the African Union (AU) as preparations intensify for the 2027 General Election.
The AU delegation, led by former Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Demeke Mekonnen, commenced engagements with INEC in Abuja on Tuesday as part of efforts to assess Nigeria’s electoral preparedness.
Receiving the delegation at the INEC headquarters, Acting Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Rhoda Gumus, reaffirmed INEC’s commitment to conducting a transparent, credible, inclusive and peaceful 2027 election.
Gumus described the AU mission as an opportunity for peer assessment, institutional learning and strengthening of Nigeria’s electoral processes ahead of the poll.
She said the Commission valued its partnership with the African Union in promoting democratic standards and credible electoral governance across Africa, stressing that the assessment should serve as a mechanism for strengthening institutional resilience and public confidence in the electoral process.
The Acting Chairman said INEC had commenced extensive operational, technological and logistical preparations for the 2027 elections, with lessons from recent off-cycle elections in Anambra, the FCT, Ekiti and Osun states being used to improve future electoral operations.
She identified digital training for ad hoc election personnel, countering election-related disinformation and deepfakes, strengthening the Election Monitoring and Support Centre, and improving inclusivity and gender-mainstreaming as areas where AU technical support would be valuable.
Gumus also reaffirmed the independence and neutrality of INEC, saying electoral integrity remained a collective responsibility involving political parties, civil society organisations, security agencies, the media, development partners and voters.
She assured that every administrative decision would comply with the law, while technical deployments would be geared towards transparency and ensuring that the outcome of the 2027 election reflects the will of Nigerian voters.
Speaking on the mission, Mekonnen said the AU delegation was in Nigeria for a supportive and consultative engagement aimed at assessing preparations, identifying gaps and risks, and exploring areas for possible technical assistance.
He said the mission would engage INEC and other stakeholders on voter registration, electoral technology, logistics, funding, inclusion, transparency, dispute resolution, security coordination and results management.
The AU mission is expected to provide an assessment of Nigeria’s electoral readiness while strengthening collaboration between the Commission and the continental body ahead of the 2027 General Election.
