The Senate has defended its decision to make the electronic transmission of election results discretionary rather than mandatory in the ongoing reform of Nigeria’s electoral framework, citing empirical data on the country’s communication and power infrastructure.
The upper chamber said its position on Clause 60(3) of the Electoral Bill, 2026, was informed by consultations with key stakeholders in the communications and power sectors and based on prevailing realities rather than public sentiment.
Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, clarified the position in a statement issued on Sunday by his Directorate of Media and Public Affairs.
Clause 60(3) of the Electoral Bill, 2026, had proposed that the presiding officer “shall electronically transmit the results from each polling unit to INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) in real time.” However, the Senate resolved to review the clause, deleting the words “real time” and introducing a caveat that in the event of internet failure, Form EC8A would serve as the primary means of result collation.
Bamidele noted that while real-time electronic transmission of results could deepen public trust in democratic institutions, including the National Assembly and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), current infrastructure limitations pose significant challenges.
He cited data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), which indicated that Nigeria achieved about 70 per cent broadband coverage in 2025, while internet user penetration stood at 44.53 per cent of the population within the same period.
Referencing the Speedtest Global Index, Bamidele said Nigeria ranked 85th out of 105 countries in mobile network reliability and 129th out of 150 countries in fixed broadband reliability. According to him, Nigeria’s average mobile network speed was 44.14 megabits per second, compared to 691.76 mbps in the United Arab Emirates, 573.53 mbps in Qatar and 415.67 mbps in Kuwait.
On fixed broadband, he said Nigeria recorded 33.32 mbps, placing 129th globally, far behind countries such as Singapore, the UAE and France.
The Senate Leader also cited data on electricity access, stating that about 85 million Nigerians—approximately 43 per cent of the population—lack access to grid electricity. Although generation capacity ranges between 12,000 and 13,500 megawatts, he noted that transmission and distribution constraints limit actual delivery to about 4,500 megawatts nationwide.
He argued that making real-time electronic transmission mandatory under such conditions could create complications during elections and potentially lead to instability.
Bamidele said the Senate’s decision was guided by Section 62(2) of the Electoral Act, 2022, which established the National Electronic Register of Election Results, adding that lawmakers must enact legislation grounded in factual realities.
He maintained that lawmaking requires balancing public expectations with practical considerations to ensure that enacted provisions are workable and do not undermine the stability of the electoral system.