2027: Nigeria not ready for real-time e-transmission of results  —  Sen Bamidele

2026-02-15 - 19:09

Opeyemi Bamidele, the senate leader, has said Nigeria does not yet have the technical and power infrastructure required to sustain compulsory real-time electronic transmission of election results across the country. In a statement released on Sunday by his directorate of media and public affairs, Bamidele said evidence available to the National Assembly shows that nationwide real-time upload of results cannot be guaranteed under current conditions. His comments followed the senate’s consideration of clause 60(3) of the Electoral Bill, 2026, which proposes that presiding officers must transmit polling unit results electronically to the results portal of the Independent National Electoral Commission in real time. Bamidele explained that the upper chamber reviewed the provision and resolved to retain electronic transmission of results, but with an alternative arrangement in situations where internet services fail. Under the revised position of the senate, Form EC8A will serve as the primary document for collation whenever electronic transmission is not possible. While acknowledging the value of digital innovation in elections, Bamidele said the legislature could not ignore the realities of Nigeria’s infrastructure. According to him, clause 60(3) is “an initiative that any legislature or parliament globally will have embraced ordinarily”, but the present environment makes its mandatory application difficult. He cited data from the Nigerian Communications Commission showing that broadband coverage in Nigeria stood at about 70 per cent in 2025, while internet penetration covered only 44.53 per cent of the population. Bamidele also referred to the Speedtest Global Index, which placed Nigeria 85th among 105 countries assessed for mobile network reliability and 129th out of 150 countries for fixed broadband reliability. Providing further details, he said Nigeria’s mobile network performance was rated at 44.14 megabits per second. “This is extremely low compared with the UAE, which has 691.76 Mbps; Qatar with 573.53 Mbps; Kuwait’s 415.67 Mbps; Bahrain’s 303.21 Mbps; and Bulgaria’s 289.41 Mbps,” he said, adding that the index ranked Nigeria well below the global average. He further noted that fixed broadband performance in the country remains poor. “Out of 150 countries, Nigeria occupied 129th position with only 33.32 Mbps,” Bamidele said. Beyond communication gaps, the senate leader also highlighted the challenge of electricity supply, stating that about 85 million Nigerians, representing roughly 43 per cent of the population, remain without access to grid power. According to him, “this shortfall speaks to the state of our power infrastructure,” and remains a major obstacle to enforcing real-time electronic transmission of election results nationwide.