The Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) is a tech invention introduced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in 2021.
BVAS technology was introduced to foster and improve the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral system to prevent electoral fraud and thereby replace smart card readers.
Below are five things to know about the BVAS machine ahead of the forthcoming elections.
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The BVAS reads the PVCs and authenticates voters’ biometrics (fingerprints and facial recognition) before voting.
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To read the PVC, it can scan the barcode or QR code on the PVC or the voter’s register, or the presiding officer can input the last six digits of the intending voter’s Voter Identification Number (VIN) or the intending voter’s last name. This is to verify the genuineness of the PVCs and accredit voters’ votes.
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Beyond accreditation, the BVAS is also used to upload polling unit results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IREV) in real time during an election.
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To do this, the BVAS is also used to capture the results after the election’s conclusion at a polling unit and immediately transmit them to the portal that is accessible to the public.
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The BVAS doesn’t require internet connectivity to function. As long as the battery is charged and the device is appropriately configured, it can function optimally. However, Internet connectivity is only required to transmit results.
