- INEC warns of tech glitches in elections
- Gradual adoption advised due to infrastructure gaps
- New Electoral Act signed by President Tinubu
- Result transmission challenges persist, says INEC
A National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Muhammed Haruna, has said that the use of technology in elections will always come with glitches, warning against the belief that technology alone can solve all electoral challenges.
Haruna made the remarks on Monday during an interview on Trust TV, while reacting to the recently passed and signed Electoral Amendment Act.
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He explained that while technology remains important to improving elections, its implementation must be gradual, especially considering Nigeria’s current infrastructure limitations.
“There will always be glitches. Gradual implementation of technology is crucial, especially given existing infrastructure challenges,” Haruna said.
The INEC commissioner noted that there is a growing misconception that technology provides a perfect solution without setbacks.
“There’s a misunderstanding that technology offers a universal solution without issues,” he said.
According to Haruna, INEC is already facing difficulties with transmitting results from polling units, and adding more layers of technology could worsen the situation.
“We already face challenges transmitting simple polling unit results. Introducing additional technological layers, such as aggregating polling unit data at the ward level for transmission, would only exacerbate these problems,” he added.
The comments followed the signing of the Electoral Act, 2022 (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill 2026 into law by President Bola Tinubu, barely 24 hours after its passage by the National Assembly.
The new law is expected to introduce reforms aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s electoral process ahead of future elections.