INEC To Conduct Mock Accreditation In November 2026 Ahead Of 2027 Elections

The *Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)* has disclosed plans to conduct a mock accreditation exercise in *November 2026* as part of preparations for the *2027 General Election*.

INEC Chairman, *Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN*, disclosed this on Friday while receiving a delegation from the *Canadian High Commission* on a courtesy visit to the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

Amupitan said the exercise would subject the *Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS)* to a rigorous field test to fortify the sanctity of the ballot.

“Conduct of mock accreditation in November 2026 to assess our readiness for the general election. We will be subjecting our electoral equipment, the BVAS, to a rigorous field test to fortify the sanctity of the ballot during the election. We will appreciate your partnership in ensuring the success of this mock accreditation,” he said.

The INEC Chairman restated that the *Presidential and National Assembly elections* would hold on *Saturday, January 16, 2027*, while *Governorship and State House of Assembly elections* are slated for *Saturday, February 6, 2027*.

He said the Commission remained focused on “enhancing voter participation, ensuring the security of the ballot, and building public trust in the electoral system.”

Amupitan cited the *Osun State governorship election* of *Saturday, August 15, 2026*, as a benchmark for the Commission’s operational readiness.

“Through early morning logistics deployment — where 3,556 out of 3,763 Polling Units, 94.5%, opened for accreditation and voting precisely by 8:30 a.m. — optimal BVAS field performance, seamless result upload on the IReV portal, and proactive crisis management, Osun demonstrated what is possible when administrative foresight meets technological fortitude,” he said.

He added that the Commission viewed the success in Osun “not as a final destination, but as the gold standard that will guide our preparations for 2027.”

Amupitan noted that *Wednesday, August 19, 2026*, marked the official statutory commencement of public campaigns and rallies for the 2027 General Election. He said INEC had, on *Tuesday, August 18, 2026*, joined presidential candidates at the *National Peace Committee’s* signing of the First National Peace Accord on Issue-Based Campaigns.

He disclosed that INEC would deploy approximately *1.4 million ad-hoc personnel* across more than *176,000 Polling Units* nationwide, describing it as “one of the largest mobilisations of human resources for a national assignment in our country’s history.”

The Chairman listed strategic priorities under discussion with the Canadian delegation to include consolidating technological gains, deepening electoral inclusivity for *Persons with Disabilities (PWDs)*, women and youth, institutional capacity building, and countering misinformation.

He also said the Commission had established a dedicated *Artificial Intelligence Unit* to harness technology for data management, voter registration, and results transmission, while guarding against its misuse.

Amupitan said INEC was eager to participate in the *Global Conference on Responsible AI and Elections*, organised by the *UNDP* and *Elections Canada*, scheduled for *September 9 to 11, 2026* in Ottawa, Canada.

He sought Canada’s support in facilitating expedited visa processing for the INEC delegation, and reassured the international community of the Commission’s neutrality.