The Senate has approved the use of electronic transmission of election results in Nigeria, while retaining manual collation as a backup mechanism, in a move aimed at strengthening the country’s electoral process.
The approval followed the consideration and adoption of recommendations by the Committee on Electoral Matters during plenary on Tuesday.
Under the amended provisions of the Electoral Act, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is empowered to deploy electronic means for transmitting results from polling units, subject to the availability, reliability and security of the required technology.
Presenting the committee’s report, the Chairman, Sen. Sharafadeen Alli, said the dual system was designed to enhance transparency, credibility and public confidence in elections, while addressing challenges associated with technology failure in some parts of the country.
According to him, the amendment allows INEC to electronically transmit or transfer election results in accordance with guidelines issued by the commission, while ensuring that manual collation remains valid where electronic transmission is not feasible.
“This provision strikes a balance between innovation and practicality. While electronic transmission promotes transparency and reduces human interference, the retention of manual backup ensures that elections are not jeopardised by network or technical challenges,” Alli said.
Contributing to the debate, several senators expressed support for the adoption of electronic transmission, describing it as a critical step toward modernising Nigeria’s electoral system.
They, however, emphasised the need for INEC to invest in robust infrastructure, cybersecurity safeguards and voter education to ensure the effectiveness of the electronic process.
Some lawmakers also stressed that the manual backup clause was necessary to accommodate rural and hard-to-reach areas with limited internet connectivity and power supply.
The Senate further urged INEC to ensure that its guidelines on electronic transmission are clear, transparent and consistently applied across all states of the federation.
With the approval, the amended Electoral Act is expected to provide a stronger legal framework for the conduct of elections, reduce disputes arising from result manipulation, and align Nigeria’s electoral practices with global best standards.
The bill will be transmitted to the House of Representatives for concurrence before being forwarded to the President for assent.
