President Bola Tinubu has signed the Electoral Act, 2022 (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill 2026 into law.
The development comes after the national assembly passed the bill on Tuesday, following months of deliberations and legislative scrutiny.
The passage of the bill has reignited discussions on the electronic transmission of election results.
Civil society groups and opposition figures have long advocated for real-time transmission from polling units to INEC’s central server, arguing that it would enhance transparency and curb manipulation.
Protests erupted at the National Assembly last week, demanding live transmission, following disruptions in the 2023 elections when INEC’s Results Viewing Portal failed.
While the ruling All Progressives Congress supports the adoption of technology, some stakeholders emphasize a phased or hybrid approach to accommodate areas with poor telecommunications infrastructure, allowing manual collation where electronic systems fail.
With the Electoral Act now signed into law, the stage is set for Nigeria’s 2027 elections, amid ongoing debates about balancing technology and practical election logistics.
