President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday signed into law the Electoral Act (Amendment) 2026, declaring that electronic transmission of election results in Nigeria remains a supportive mechanism and cannot replace the manual voting and collation process.
The signing ceremony took place at about 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, and was attended by principal officers of the National Assembly.
The development comes just days after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) released the timetable for the 2027 general elections.
The National Assembly had on Tuesday passed the Electoral Act 2026 (Amendment) Bill following weeks of intense public debate and political tension over whether electronic transmission of results should be made mandatory and binding.
The amendment process had generated nationwide controversy, with civil society organisations and opposition figures mounting sustained pressure on lawmakers to ensure that election results are transmitted live from polling units directly to INEC’s central server.
Protesters had stormed the National Assembly complex, insisting that only real-time electronic transmission could curb manipulation, enhance transparency and restore public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process.
Despite the agitation, President Tinubu made it clear that while technology will continue to play a role in elections, it will not supplant manual processes.
Speaking shortly after assenting to the bill, Tinubu commended the National Assembly for what he described as a rigorous and patriotic legislative exercise.
He stressed that the primary objective of the reforms was to safeguard democratic stability and prevent voter disenfranchisement.
“I followed keenly what you were doing. The essence of democracy is to have very solid brainstorming discussions committed to national development and nation-building and the stability of the nation,” the President said.
“What is crucial is that you manage the process to the extent that there will be no confusion and no disenfranchisement of Nigerians, and we are all going to see democracy flourish,” he added.
The President emphasised that elections are ultimately human-driven processes, regardless of technological advancements.
According to him, the manual voting and counting system remains the backbone of Nigeria’s electoral framework, with electronic transmission serving only as a complementary support tool.
“No matter how good a system is, it is managed by people, promoted by people and finalised by people. You are not going to be talking to a computer; you are going to be talking to human beings who announce the results,” Tinubu stated.
“Essentially, what we are looking at is the transmission of manual results, and we must avoid glitches. Nigeria will flourish and continue to nurture this democracy for prosperity and stability.”
The signing of the amendment law comes at a critical time as preparations intensify for the 2027 general elections.
INEC has scheduled the Presidential and National Assembly elections for February 20, 2027, while Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will hold on March 6, 2027.
The controversy surrounding electronic transmission has remained one of the most contentious issues in Nigeria’s electoral reform discourse since the 2023 general elections, with critics arguing that manual collation leaves room for interference and result alteration.
Supporters of mandatory electronic transmission insist that transmitting results directly from polling units to INEC’s central server in real-time would significantly reduce human interference, eliminate discrepancies during collation, and improve the credibility of outcomes.
However, the newly signed amendment signals the Federal Government’s position that technology will remain auxiliary to the manual process rather than replacing it entirely.
With the 2027 elections now less than a year away, political stakeholders, civil society organisations and opposition parties are expected to intensify scrutiny of INEC’s preparations and the practical implementation of the amended law.
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