Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced plans to mobilize an unprecedented workforce of approximately 1.4 million ad-hoc personnel.

The nationwide deployment will span over 176,000 polling units to manage the massive logistical demands of the upcoming polls.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, made this disclosure on Tuesday in Abuja during a high-profile meeting with the International Republican Institute’s (IRI) Pre-Election Assessment Mission. The delegation was led by Ambassador Jendayi Frazier, former United States Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs.

Prof. Amupitan revealed that the commission is executing a strict operational roadmap. This strategy includes an upcoming Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise and a thorough audit of the national voter database. To eliminate duplicate registrations and maintain an authentic database, INEC will deploy its Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS).

Reflecting on recent off-cycle elections, the INEC boss expressed absolute confidence in the commission`s technological infrastructure. He noted that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal both achieved over 98 percent successful upload rates in recent outings.

"Technology has permanently closed the door on legacy voting vulnerabilities, ensuring that the ballot box alone determines electoral outcomes," Amupitan stated.

To prevent late openings of polling stations, INEC is reworking its logistics framework through early deployment strategies and new partnerships with national transport unions. Furthermore, the commission is introducing specialized assistive devices to ensure seamless voting access for vulnerable groups, including persons with disabilities (PWDs), pregnant women, nursing mothers, and elderly citizens.

Despite these advancements, the Chairman acknowledged persistent threats to Nigeria`s democracy, citing electoral violence, vote-buying, hate speech, disinformation, and foreign information manipulation. To counter these vulnerabilities, INEC is actively collaborating with the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC).

The IRI delegation`s visit, spanning August 11 to August 21, coincides directly with the official launch of public political campaigns scheduled to commence on Wednesday.

In tandem with the campaign kickoff, Prof. Amupitan confirmed that the commission would participate later on Tuesday in the signing of the First National Peace Accord on Issue-Based Campaigns by presidential candidates, organized by the National Peace Committee (NPC).

Reiterating INEC’s dedication to transparency, Amupitan welcomed international observers as vital institutional partners. He concluded with a firm promise to the international delegation: "Our sole mandate is to serve as an uncompromising, impartial umpire dedicated to delivering a free, fair, credible, transparent, and inclusive election that reflects the sovereign will of the Nigerian people."