Nigeria’s quest for credible, transparent, and technology-driven elections is both necessary and commendable. Electoral reform remains central to strengthening democracy, restoring public confidence, and improving governance outcomes. Among the most discussed reforms is the transition to electronic voting and electronic transmission of results.
While I strongly support electoral reform and digital innovation in our electoral process, it is important to emphasize a fundamental principle of public policy: technology must follow infrastructure, not precede it.
The Infrastructure Reality
Electronic voting systems depend heavily on stable telecommunications networks. Without reliable connectivity, real-time transmission of results becomes technically impossible or highly vulnerable to disruption.
My professional engagements have taken me across all 171 wards of Ebonyi State. From direct field experience, I can confidently state that there are numerous communities where network connectivity is either very weak, inconsistent, or completely absent.
In several instances during the enrolment of individuals into the health insurance scheme, I and my team would return without enrolling a single individual—not due to lack of participation, but solely because there was no network coverage.
This is not unique to Ebonyi State. Large portions of rural Nigeria face similar infrastructure limitations. Therefore, the question we must confront is this: Can a nation implement nationwide electronic voting when a significant percentage of its rural population lacks stable network access?
Risk of Disenfranchisement and Manipulation
Democracy must be inclusive. Any reform that unintentionally excludes rural populations risks undermining the very credibility it seeks to build.
If electronic voting or transmission is implemented in areas with poor or no network connectivity, several risks emerge:
1. Disenfranchisement: Voters in rural and underserved communities may face delays, technical failures, or outright inability to transmit results.
2. Inequality: Urban and semi-urban areas with stronger infrastructure may benefit disproportionately, deepening the rural-urban divide.
3. Manipulation under Technical Pretexts: In environments where connectivity is unstable, system failures may be exploited to justify irregularities.
Electronic voting should not create a two-tier electoral system—one technologically functional in cities and another structurally disadvantaged in rural communities.
The Way Forward: A Phased and Prepared Approach
Rather than rushing implementation, Nigeria should adopt a phased readiness strategy.
1. Nationwide Network Expansion
The Federal Government must prioritize telecommunications infrastructure in underserved areas. Broadband penetration should not be seen merely as a commercial venture but as a democratic necessity. Public-private partnerships can be leveraged to extend network coverage to rural wards nationwide.
Before electronic voting becomes mandatory nationwide, every polling unit should meet minimum connectivity standards.
2. Strengthening the National Identity Framework
A credible electronic voting system requires a robust and inclusive national identity database. The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) must be strengthened institutionally and financially to ensure universal and free access to National Identification Numbers (NIN).
When every Nigerian adult is properly registered and identifiable within a reliable national database, the foundation for secure electronic voting becomes stronger.
Reform Beyond Technology
Electoral reform is not simply about introducing digital tools. It is about ensuring systemic readiness, inclusiveness, institutional strength, and public trust.
Technology is powerful—but only when supported by infrastructure, governance capacity, and equity considerations.
Nigeria can and should embrace electronic voting. However, it must do so deliberately, strategically, and inclusively. Until network infrastructure is nationwide and identity management systems are universally functional, a full-scale transition may create more complications than solutions.
Democracy must not only be modern; it must be accessible to every citizen in every ward, without exception.