LOKOJA, Nigeria – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has increased staff allowances and monthly funding to its state offices as part of measures to strengthen operations ahead of the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, announced the reforms on Friday during the Commission’s North-Central Zonal Interactive Meeting with Staff and Readiness Assessment in Lokoja, Kogi State.
According to a statement published on the Commission’s X account, the measures include the introduction of the Consolidated Election Management Body Salary Structure (CEMBSS), which took effect on January 1, 2026, alongside improved salary, hazard and field allowances for personnel. The Commission also increased monthly overhead allocations to state offices by 150 per cent from July 1, 2026, to strengthen their capacity to carry out electoral responsibilities.
Amupitan disclosed that INEC had distributed operational pickup vehicles to state and Local Government Area offices, procured 20 sport utility vehicles for Resident Electoral Commissioners and approved additional vehicles for Administrative Secretaries. He also directed personnel to suspend further annual leave as preparations for the elections intensify, warning that partisanship, negligence, financial misconduct and absenteeism would attract disciplinary action.
On election technology, the INEC chairman said the Commission was configuring 57,000 newly procured Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices to improve voter verification and accreditation. He added that electronic result management platforms, including the eEC8A verification system, were undergoing audits to strengthen transparency.
Amupitan also said the preliminary voters’ register had been released for public scrutiny ahead of the publication of the certified register scheduled for December 15, 2026. The chairman disclosed that INEC had completed nine of the 14 major milestones in its electoral timetable.
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