Stakeholders in Nigeria’s technology sector have called for the mainstreaming of technology in election management to boost public trust, credibility and security ahead of the 2027 elections.
They made the call on Thursday at the 2026 Nigerian e-Government Summit and Awards Night in Lagos, themed “Mainstreaming Technologies in Nigeria Election Management.”
The stakeholders said election technology should no longer be treated as a four-yearly procurement exercise, urging sustained investment in digital infrastructure, local expertise and cybersecurity.
Dr Emmanuel Ayoola, President of the Information Technology Association of Nigeria (ITAN), said the technology industry was ready to support the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in strengthening its systems ahead of the 2027 polls.
Ayoola stressed the need to build sustained local capacity, involving engineers, data scientists, and other technology professionals, to develop and maintain systems for credible elections.
He said emerging technologies such as blockchain and artificial intelligence could enhance electoral auditing and transparency if deployed within reliable and accountable frameworks.
Ayoola also called for a “trust architecture” to protect voters from misinformation and malicious redirection when accessing election-related information online.
He identified Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC) as one measure that could help voters access authentic electoral platforms.
Dr Kenny Joda, an executive member of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), said reliable connectivity was critical to the successful deployment of digital election technologies.
Joda said connectivity must extend beyond major urban centers to rural communities, calling for stronger collaboration among INEC, government, telecommunications operators and security agencies.
He also stressed that cybersecurity and data protection must be treated as core components of electoral integrity rather than technical afterthoughts.
Prince Oyekanmi Elegushi, General Manager of the Lagos State Infrastructure Maintenance and Regulatory Agency (LASIMRA), said successful digital elections depended on physical infrastructure as much as software.
He cited fiber-optic networks and reliable power supply as critical components of the digital infrastructure required for election management.
Elegushi said LASIMRA’s “Duct One” initiative allows multiple networks to share underground ducts, reducing repeated road excavation and disruptions to connectivity.
According to him, the initiative has facilitated about $22 million in investment toward the development of approximately 30,000 kilometers of fiber duct infrastructure across strategic corridors in Lagos.
He said the shared infrastructure could help telecommunications operators provide reliable connectivity for electoral traffic during the 2027 elections.
The President of the Internet Society Nigeria Chapter, Mr Kunle Olurundare, said protecting information integrity was essential to building public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic process.
Olurundare urged stakeholders to harmonize their efforts to identify and address vulnerabilities that could undermine trust in digital election systems.
Earlier, the Convener of the e-Government Summit, Mr Lanre Ajayi, said the summit provided a platform for government and private-sector stakeholders to translate technology into practical improvements in public service delivery.
Ajayi said the summit aimed to move technology beyond pilot projects and make it an integrated and trusted component of Nigeria’s electoral architecture.
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He said discussions would cover biometric registration, electronic transmission of results and voter authentication, while emphasizing transparency and accountability.
Ajayi described digital transformation as a shared responsibility among government, industry, civil society and citizens, despite challenges including infrastructure gaps, cybersecurity threats and the urban-rural digital divide.
