The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced preparations for a comprehensive communication strategy aimed at effectively reaching more than 100 million registered voters expected to participate in the 2027 general elections.
The INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Mallam Mohammed Haruna, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja at the Commission’s Joint Implementation Meeting of the Departments of Voter Education and Publicity (VEP) and Gender and Inclusivity (G&I) for the 2027 General Elections.
Haruna said the previous voter register contained more than 93 million registered voters, adding that the figure was expected to surpass 100 million following the conclusion of the nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise.
He said the projected increase in the voter population would require INEC’s information officers to adopt effective and professional communication strategies capable of mobilising eligible Nigerians and providing them with accurate information ahead of the elections.
“Our job is to give the widest and most effective publicity to all five sets of elections to mobilise all Nigerians of voting age to choose their leaders. This job is at once simple and complex,” Haruna said.
He spoke as the Commission began work on a communication and inclusivity roadmap designed to support free, fair, credible, peaceful and inclusive elections.
Haruna stressed that communicating with more than 100 million voters would require information officers to develop strong professional skills and a clear understanding of the legal framework governing elections.
He urged officers to communicate electoral information in simple, civil and accessible language, while ensuring that their knowledge of the Constitution, electoral laws and INEC guidelines remained up to date.
“First, we must have a grasp of the language we wish to communicate in and do so with the simplest words and in the most civil manner,” he said.
“Second, we must be knowledgeable about our country’s Constitution, the Electoral Law, and the Commission’s Guidelines.”
Haruna also stressed the need for officers to understand relevant legislation, including the Freedom of Information and Data Protection Acts.
With 151 days to the first phase of the 2027 general elections, he urged INEC’s information officers to intensify voter education and publicity activities, noting that the Commission must build on the experience of recent off-cycle elections, including the Osun State governorship election.
He said the objective should be to deliver the freest and most credible general elections in the country’s history.
Also speaking, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr Adedayo Oketola, reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment under Prof. Joash Amupitan to credible and inclusive elections.
Oketola described the joint implementation meeting as timely, saying its outcome would provide an actionable communication and inclusivity roadmap for the 2027 elections.
He said while technological infrastructure and operational logistics remained critical to electoral administration, the VEP and G&I departments represented the human face and voice of INEC.
“You build public trust, simplify complex procedures, and ensure that no eligible citizen is left behind,” Oketola said.
He, however, warned that misinformation and disinformation remained major threats ahead of the 2027 elections, with the potential to undermine voter confidence and increase apathy.
“The antidote to disinformation is proactive, factual, and continuous public engagement,” he said.
Oketola said INEC’s communication strategy must move beyond traditional announcement-style publicity and embrace sustained civic education that would help voters understand the Commission’s electoral technologies and procedures.
“Our messaging must move beyond traditional announcement-style publicity into aggressive, daily civic education that demystifies our technology, such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and INEC Results Viewing (IReV), and reinforces the integrity of the open secret ballot system,” he said.
On inclusivity, Oketola reiterated that electoral access for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), women, youths and elderly voters remained a constitutional right.
“From the deployment of Braille ballot guides and magnifying glasses to prioritising vulnerable queues and expanding youth participation through Continuous Voter Registration (CVR), 2027 must set a new benchmark for electoral access in Nigeria,” he said.
The Director of Voter Education and Publicity, GVictoria Eta-Messi, said INEC’s ability to reach voters at the grassroots depended largely on the capacity and effectiveness of VEP heads across the states.
She said the implementation meeting would promote uniformity in the execution of voter education programmes and provide clarity on the Commission’s approved activities and strategies.
“The off-cycle governorship elections are out of the way, and what lies ahead is the 2027 general election, and going by the line of activities of both departments, this meeting takes precedence and sets the tone for what lies ahead,” Eta-Messi said.
She added that the meeting would enable participants to understand the Commission-approved activities, implementation strategies, timelines and expectations ahead of the 2027 elections.
Heads of the Voter Education and Publicity and Gender and Inclusivity departments from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory participated in the meeting.
