Nigeria Has Capacity For Real-time Transmission Of Election Result – Telecom Experts

The renewed controversy over the electronic transmission of election results has once again exposed the deep divide between Nigeria’s political leadership and the country’s growing digital infrastructure capacity, as experts insist that real-time e-transmission is not only possible but already within reach.

The debate was reignited on February 4, when Senate President Godswill Akpabio rejected a proposed amendment to the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2026 that would have made the real-time electronic transmission of election results mandatory.

He explained that the Senate accepted electronic transmission outright but retained the provision as contained in the Electoral Act 2022.

However, the chamber upheld the existing legal framework, which permits the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deploy electronic transmission without making it compulsory.

Consequently, while electronic methods remain permissible, manual collation retains legal validity and real-time transfer of results is not mandatory.

The senate president’s position reflects earlier resistance by the National Assembly during the passage of the 2022 Electoral Act, when lawmakers insisted that only areas with network coverage, as determined by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), could adopt electronic transmission.

Proponents of caution argue that parts of the country still lack reliable telecommunications infrastructure and that forcing nationwide e-transmission could disenfranchise voters in underserved communities.

However, ICT experts say that the position no longer reflects the realities of Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.

Industry analysts note that major telecom operators, MTN, Airtel, Glo and T2 (formerly 9mobile), currently provide 2G, 3G, 4G and expanding 5G coverage to over 90 per cent of the population, even if high-speed data services are not uniformly available.

They argue that the federal government, INEC and telecom providers can establish a secure, election-only network using existing infrastructure. Such a framework could include dedicated SIM cards for INEC devices, private Access Point Networks (APNs) isolated from public traffic, end-to-end encryption, redundant satellite backups in hard-to-reach areas, and offline-to-online syncing where signals are temporarily unavailable.

Many experts who shared their views believe that resistance to e-transmission is less about technological capability and more about political trust.

During the 2023 general elections, INEC deployed the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the IReV portal to facilitate real-time uploads of results. However, technical glitches and inconsistent uploads reignited doubts and became a basis for critics of full digital adoption.

However, speaking to LEADERSHIP, a Lagos-based digital governance consultant, Mr Kunle Adebayo, said, e-transmission requires basic data connectivity, which already exists in most parts of Nigeria through GSM networks.

“What e-transmission requires is not 5G or broadband everywhere. It requires basic data connectivity, which already exists in most parts of Nigeria through GSM networks,” Adebayo stated.

He explained further that election data packets are extremely small and can be transmitted even on low-bandwidth networks.

“INEC is not streaming videos; it is sending figures. These can be transmitted through encrypted SMS, USSD-backed data channels, or low-bandwidth secure APIs. Countries with weaker infrastructure than Nigeria already do this successfully,” Adebayo said.

In his words, Innovation and Technology Policy Advisor Jide Awe also maintained that the electronic transmission of election results is entirely feasible with existing infrastructure.

He stressed that success would depend on proper system engineering and disciplined project management rather than reliance on ordinary smartphones or a single mobile network.

“The INEC structure must have a way of connecting to multiple telecom operators at once and automatically switching between them, so that weak or unavailable networks in one area do not stop transmission.

“In places with no immediate connectivity, results can be captured securely and stored offline, then transmitted automatically once any signal becomes available. Several extremely remote areas would, however, require satellite support,” he said.

Awe further emphasised the need for a reliable power supply and robust cybersecurity safeguards.

“There must also be provisions for constant power supply, as well as strong security arrangements to ensure data authenticity, cybersecurity, backup and disaster recovery, and auditability.”

He cautioned that system capacity must match the scale of election-day traffic.

“Systems must have the capacity to handle the volume of traffic associated with uploading and publishing results in real time, to maintain the credibility of both the process and the outcomes. While the technology is available, large-scale system integration, rigorous testing, and reliable deployment are critical.”

He added that strong project management, independent ICT and digital transformation expertise, and coordination among multiple stakeholders.”

According to him, e-transmission requires strong project management, independent ICT and digital transformation expertise, and coordination among multiple stakeholders.

“Even if the technology and networks exist, delivering a reliable e-transmission system is far more than just plugging in devices and partnering with Telcos. It requires strong project management, independent ICT and digital transformation expertise, and coordination among multiple stakeholders.”

According to Awe, nationwide elections involve thousands of polling units, multiple networks, strict timelines and minimal tolerance for errors, making disciplined project planning essential.

“This is a complex, multi-stakeholder project that requires disciplined project management, technical expertise, and strong governance to work effectively in the field. Real election conditions demand far more than just good networks and devices,” he added.

A data analyst, who requested anonymity, also argued that new infrastructure may not even be necessary.

“INEC does not need to build new networks. The telcos already have towers nationwide. What is required is a policy framework and a secure integration layer.

In the past, delayed or altered manual results have triggered post-election crises, court battles and public distrust. With electronic transmission, it is said that it would significantly reduce human interference, ballot manipulation and result tampering.”

Commenting on the broader capacity question, the Chief Executive Officer of Digital Realty Nigeria, Engr. Ike Nnamani stated that Nigeria has sufficient internet penetration nationwide to transmit election results in real time, provided the National Assembly adopts it as a binding policy.

Cyber policy analyst, Dimeji Edun, noted that countries such as Ghana, Kenya and India already deploy various forms of digital result transmission.

“Technologically, e-transmission is feasible today. What is lacking is political consensus and institutional courage to fully trust technology over manual processes.”

“With proper audits, cybersecurity frameworks and telecom partnerships, Nigeria can implement a secure, transparent, real-time e-transmission system,” Edun said.

As Nigeria prepares for future elections in an increasingly digital world, experts argue that the question may no longer be about infrastructure, but about political will, institutional coordination and public trust.