Polling Units Still Struggle With Real-Time IReV Uploads, Says INEC

Polling Units Still Struggle With Real-Time IReV Uploads, Says INEC

From JOEL OLADELE, Abuja

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has revealed that many out of over 176,000 polling units across Nigeria still face challenges in transmitting results in real time due to uneven telecommunications coverage.

The Chairman of INEC, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, made the disclosure while speaking at the recent 2025 Digital Nigeria International Conference and Exhibitions in Abuja, organised by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).

He was represented at the event by National Commissioner, May Agbamuche-Mbu.

According to Prof. Amupitan, the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) has effectively addressed voter impersonation and multiple voting, ensuring that only eligible voters are accredited at polling units. However, he noted that connectivity remains a logistical challenge for real-time result uploads to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal.

“A tool like the BVAS is only as good as the network it runs on,” he said, pointing out that Nigeria’s polling units are widely dispersed, including locations in swamps, mountains, and other hard-to-reach areas.

He added that INEC continues to engage the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and network providers to explore solutions for consistent connectivity and to ensure the Commission can achieve more seamless uploads from all polling units.

Prof. Amupitan reaffirmed INEC’s commitment to technology-driven elections, emphasizing that the era of manual accreditation, vulnerable to human interference, is over.

He stated that the Commission will continue to enhance the deployment of BVAS and related digital tools to strengthen transparency, accuracy, and public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process.

“Our mission is simple: to ensure that every eligible voter is accurately verified, every vote is properly counted, and every result is transparently shared. Technology has helped us secure these foundations of democracy,” he said.