In a major development ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 elections, the Senate has approved electronic transmission of election results — but with a crucial caveat. Lawmakers have ruled that traditional manual collation will still be used as a backup if technology fails, a move that has stirred wide debate across political and civic spaces.

Nigeria’s Senate on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, adopted a key change to the ongoing Electoral Act Amendment Bill, reaffirming that electronic transmission of election results remains a central feature of the electoral process — while also preserving manual result upload as a backup mechanism where digital systems fail.

The decision, taken during an emergency plenary session in Abuja, follows intense public scrutiny and protests after lawmakers earlier rejected a proposal that would have made real‑time electronic transmission from polling units mandatory. Critics argued that removing such a clause weakened transparency and opened the door for manipulation.

Under the revised resolution, election results will be electronically uploaded to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Result Viewing Portal (IReV) — the system used to share results data across the country. However, in places where network problems or technical glitches occur, the physical Form EC8A — signed and stamped at polling units — will still serve as the official fallback.
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This compromise reflects Nigeria’s ongoing struggle to balance technological reform with practical realities on the ground, such as inconsistent internet coverage and power challenges in some regions. The Senate’s decision leaves room for INEC to implement digital transmission where possible while protecting the integrity of the collation process in areas with poor connectivity.

Public reaction has been sharply divided. Civil society groups, including the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), have criticized the Senate for not making electronic transmission mandatory, saying it could undermine trust in election outcomes if manual methods are still emphasized.

Meanwhile, some lawmakers and technocrats argue that preserving a hybrid approach — electronic primary with manual backup — is a pragmatic step forward given current infrastructure limitations. The Senate now faces the task of harmonizing its version of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill with that passed by the House of Representatives before final enactment.