The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has sought stronger collaboration with the United Nations (UN) to combat misinformation, disinformation and foreign interference ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, made the appeal on Wednesday when a United Nations delegation, led by the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), Dr Leonardo Santos Simão, visited the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

Amupitan identified foreign information manipulation, fake news and targeted electoral disinformation as major emerging threats capable of undermining democratic institutions, electoral credibility and public confidence in the electoral process.

He called for the UN’s support in strengthening electoral information integrity, establishing rapid-response mechanisms to address false information, improving early-warning security monitoring and promoting public awareness ahead of the elections.

The INEC chairman also highlighted the need for international cooperation in promoting civic participation and ensuring the inclusion of women, young people and vulnerable groups in the electoral process.

Reaffirming the commission’s commitment to conducting free, fair, credible and transparent elections in 2027, Amupitan disclosed that INEC was implementing institutional reforms, technological improvements and voter register validation exercises to strengthen its electoral operations.

He revealed that Nigeria’s national voter register currently stands at 103 million, with young people between the ages of 18 and 34 accounting for approximately 29 per cent of registered voters.

According to him, the commission had deployed technological tools, including the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), to identify and remove more than 1.5 million ineligible registrations before arriving at the current figure.

He explained that the voter register cleaning exercise was still ongoing, with the display of the register for claims and objections being conducted in line with Section 19 of the Electoral Act. The final cleaned register is expected to be published on December 15.

Amupitan further disclosed that INEC had commenced the nationwide distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to newly registered voters, those who updated their personal information and individuals seeking replacement of lost or damaged cards.

In another measure aimed at improving efficiency and reducing delays during accreditation on election day, the commission has reduced the number of voters assigned to each BVAS device from 1,250 to 800.

He added that INEC was planning nationwide mock accreditation and election exercises ahead of the general elections to test its technological infrastructure, assess operational readiness and strengthen public confidence in the electoral process.

The exercises are also expected to enhance logistics management, ensure transparency in the management and viewing of election results through the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), and facilitate timely declaration of results.

Speaking on behalf of the United Nations delegation, Dr Leonardo Santos Simão said the visit was intended to demonstrate the organisation’s moral and strategic support for Nigeria as it prepares for the 2027 general elections.

He described Nigeria as a strategic country in West Africa, noting that peaceful and successful elections would have far-reaching implications for democratic stability and regional integration.

Simão emphasised the importance of managing political differences, competing interests and electoral tensions without jeopardising national peace and security, particularly given the security challenges confronting Nigeria, including terrorism and other forms of violence.

He maintained that the forthcoming elections should not aggravate the country’s existing security challenges but should instead contribute to national stability and democratic development.

The UN representative also clarified that the delegation would not participate as official election observers because of the limitations of its mandate. However, he assured that the organisation would maintain its presence in Nigeria throughout the electoral period to encourage responsible political conduct, promote peaceful dialogue among political actors and support efforts towards violence-free elections.

The engagement highlights the growing importance of international cooperation in addressing threats to electoral integrity, strengthening democratic institutions and ensuring peaceful, credible and transparent elections in Nigeria in 2027.