Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, said the introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System has eliminated identity theft and multiple voting in Nigeria’s elections.
Speaking at the 2025 Digital Nigeria International Conference and Exhibition organised by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) in Abuja, and represented by National Commissioner Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu, Amupitan described BVAS as a “foolproof mechanism” that has transformed voter verification nationwide.
The INEC chairman was quoted as saying that the biometric-enabled device has now become the frontline defence against voter impersonation, ensuring that only validly registered voters are accredited at polling units, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Dayo Oketola.
He added that during the Anambra governorship election, 6,879 BVAS devices performed excellently, with over 99% of polling unit results uploaded to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) on the same day of the election. That, he went on, shows that digital systems have become a permanent and reliable part of Nigeria’s electoral framework.
Amupitan further emphasized the importance of the Electoral Act 2022, giving legal backing to the digital tools of the Commission. According to him, Section 47(2) turned what was hitherto an administrative guideline in technological components into an enforceable legal safeguard, improving public confidence in the process.
However, he acknowledged that there were still some challenges, particularly poor network coverage in some remote communities, which could affect the real-time transmission of the results. With polling units across different terrains, connectivity remains a challenge across the country.
He assured that INEC would continue collaborating with the NCC and telecommunications operators while exploring alternative technologies to close gaps in coverage.
Amupitan ruled out any return to manual accreditation, which he described as prone to manipulation. He promised that INEC would continue with the improvement and modernization of its digital systems to secure the credibility of future elections. “Our mission is to ensure every voter is accurately verified, every vote properly counted, and every result transparently disclosed. Technology has helped secure these pillars of democracy, and there is no going back,” he said with conviction.
