INEC to Conduct Nationwide Mock Accreditation Exercise in November 2026

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will conduct a nationwide mock accreditation exercise in November 2026 as part of preparations for the 2027 general elections.

The INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed this while receiving the Chargé d’Affaires of the Canadian High Commission to Nigeria, David Sproule, and other officials during a courtesy visit to the commission’s headquarters.

Amupitan said the exercise would provide an opportunity to test the commission’s electoral technology and other equipment ahead of the 2027 elections.

According to him, the mock accreditation will subject the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and other electoral equipment to a rigorous field test across the country.

He said the exercise was designed to help INEC identify and resolve potential operational challenges before the general elections.

The INEC chairman stressed that the commission was determined to build on lessons learnt from recent off-cycle elections and improve its preparedness for the 2027 electoral cycle.

The nationwide exercise is expected to give INEC an opportunity to assess the functionality of its accreditation systems under conditions similar to those that will be experienced during the actual elections.

The commission has continued to carry out preparations for the 2027 general elections as political parties and candidates begin their campaigns for the presidential, National Assembly and other elections.