Nigerian Senate Retains Electronic Results Transmission, Rejects Mandatory Real-Time Uploads

Nigeria’s attempt to deepen election transparency through technology has encountered another legislative hurdle after the Senate declined to make real-time electronic transmission of results compulsory. During deliberations on proposed amendments to the Electoral Act, lawmakers retained provisions allowing the use of technology in elections but rejected language that would force immediate uploads of polling unit results, particularly to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s Result Viewing Portal (IReV).

The decision underscores a long-running tension in Nigeria’s electoral reforms: how to balance technological transparency with practical challenges such as uneven network coverage across the country.

What real-time electronic transmission means

Real-time electronic transmission refers to the immediate digital transfer of polling unit results after counting, usually by uploading scanned result sheets or data to a central platform accessible to citizens, political parties, and observers. Its appeal lies in reducing human interference during collation, limiting the risk of result alteration, and enabling the public to compare polling unit outcomes with final declarations.

Nigeria’s current legal framework already accommodates electronic result management. Under the Electoral Act 2022, results are still primarily recorded manually and physically moved for collation, but the law allows electronic transmission where INEC deems it practicable.

What the Senate rejected and what it allowed

The Senate’s position does not amount to a rejection of election technology. Rather, lawmakers opposed making real-time electronic transmission mandatory, especially compulsory uploads to IReV. Reports from the chamber indicate that while other electoral reforms were considered, provisions compelling immediate uploads were removed.

Public reaction and the trust deficit

The decision has drawn sharp criticism from civil society groups, youth voters and transparency advocates, many of whom argue that real-time publication of results is one of the strongest safeguards against manipulation. For these groups, the issue is grounded in experience: disputed elections, prolonged legal battles and declining public confidence whenever the journey from polling unit to final collation appears opaque.

Others, however, defend the Senate’s caution. They argue that enforcing instant uploads could disadvantage voters in rural or hard-to-reach areas with poor mobile broadband, potentially leading to delays, disputes or questions over valid votes. From this perspective, Nigeria’s digital divide remains significant, and election integrity should not hinge solely on connectivity that varies widely across the country.

Proponents of flexibility contend that until network infrastructure is more evenly distributed, electoral law should permit a hybrid system — combining manual collation with technological support — rather than rigid real-time requirements that could penalise voters based on geography.

Senate President’s response

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has been quoted in reports as saying the chamber rejected “mandatory” transmission, not electronic uploads altogether, noting that result uploads remain permissible under existing provisions.

This echoes arguments made in 2021 under then Senate President Ahmad Lawan, who similarly warned that blanket e-transmission rules could disenfranchise voters in areas with limited connectivity.

Lessons from the 2023 general elections

The 2023 general elections remain the most prominent example driving public demand for real-time transmission. INEC introduced the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and promised greater transparency through IReV, raising expectations that polling unit results would be quickly accessible. During the presidential election, however, IReV failed to function as anticipated, preventing real-time public access to many results and triggering suspicion, protests and court challenges.

That breakdown became one of the defining controversies of the election cycle, reinforcing the view that transparency mechanisms are as critical as the voting process itself.

How other democracies handle results transmission

In many developed democracies, election results are transmitted rapidly using secure digital systems, but these are typically backed by robust audit trails including paper ballots, signed polling-station results, recount procedures, and transparent public reporting. The emphasis is less on technology alone and more on verifiable transparency, allowing results to be traced clearly from local units to national totals.

The bigger picture

At its core, Nigeria’s debate over real-time transmission is about legitimacy. After the experience of 2023, many citizens see immediate electronic publication of polling unit results as a minimum requirement for trust. By rejecting a mandatory approach, the Senate has revived a familiar dilemma: practicality and connectivity versus transparency and public confidence with the 2027 elections already looming.