Nigeria Lacks Infrastructure for Compulsory Real-Time Electronic Transmission of Election Results — Senate Leader

By: Israel Adeleke

OPEN TELEVISION NAIJA (OTN) News reports that the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, has said that Nigeria does not yet have the technical capacity, internet coverage and power infrastructure required to sustain compulsory real-time electronic transmission of election results nationwide.

OTN News further reports that Bamidele made the position known in a statement released on Sunday by his Directorate of Media and Public Affairs, following the Senate’s consideration of Clause 60(3) of the Electoral Bill, 2026.

The clause proposes that presiding officers at polling units must transmit election results electronically to the results portal of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in real time.

According to the Senate Leader, evidence available to the National Assembly shows that a nationwide guarantee of real-time electronic upload of results is not feasible under Nigeria’s current infrastructure conditions. 

He explained that while the upper chamber supports electronic transmission of results, it resolved to allow alternative arrangements where internet connectivity fails.

Under the Senate’s revised position, Form EC8A will serve as the primary document for result collation in situations where electronic transmission is impossible, ensuring that elections are not disrupted by network or power failures.

Bamidele acknowledged that digital innovation is critical to improving the credibility and transparency of elections but stressed that lawmakers must also contend with prevailing realities on ground.

He described Clause 60(3) as “an initiative that any legislature or parliament globally will have embraced ordinarily,” but noted that making real-time electronic transmission mandatory across Nigeria remains impractical at this stage.

To support his argument, the Senate Leader cited data from the Nigerian Communications Commission, which showed that broadband coverage in Nigeria stood at about 70 per cent in 2025, while internet penetration reached only 44.53 per cent of the population.

He also referenced the Speedtest Global Index, which ranked Nigeria 85th out of 105 countries for mobile network reliability and 129th out of 150 countries for fixed broadband reliability. 

According to the index, Nigeria’s average mobile network speed 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,” Bamidele said, adding that Nigeria ranked well below the global average.

He further noted that fixed broadband performance remains weak, with Nigeria placed 129th globally at just 33.32 Mbps.

Beyond communication challenges, Bamidele highlighted the persistent electricity deficit across the country, noting that about 85 million Nigerians—roughly 43 per cent of the population—still lack access to grid power.

According to him, the power shortfall reflects the broader state of Nigeria’s infrastructure and poses a major obstacle to enforcing compulsory real-time electronic transmission of election results nationwide.

The Senate Leader, however, said that the legislature’s approach seeks to balance electoral integrity with operational realities, ensuring that elections are not compromised by infrastructure gaps while reforms continue to strengthen Nigeria’s democratic process.