Ethiopian Electoral Board Visits Nigeria to Study INEC’s Electoral Process

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday welcomed a high-level delegation from the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) and the Coalition of Ethiopian Civil Society Organisations for Elections (CECOE) to its national headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria.

The purpose of the visit was to enable the Ethiopian officials to understudy Nigeria’s electoral process—particularly the structures, procedures, and innovations that make INEC one of the most respected election management bodies in Africa.

During the meeting, the delegation held in-depth discussions with senior INEC officials, exploring Nigeria’s voter registration system, electronic transmission of results, use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), and logistical strategies employed during national and state elections.

INEC’s Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, expressed appreciation for the visit and noted that Nigeria remains open to supporting other African countries striving to enhance electoral credibility and transparency. He emphasized that the commission’s technological reforms—especially the introduction of BVAS and IReV (INEC Result Viewing Portal)—have significantly improved the integrity of Nigeria’s elections.

In his words, “Our goal is to continue strengthening democracy across Africa by sharing experiences and collaborating with election management bodies from other countries.”

On their part, the Ethiopian delegation lauded INEC for its impressive progress and commitment to fair and transparent elections. They stated that their mission was to gain firsthand experience of Nigeria’s democratic evolution and to adapt some of INEC’s innovations to Ethiopia’s election framework.

The visit also included an exchange of documents, interactive sessions with INEC department heads, and a guided tour of the commission’s operations center. The guests were briefed on logistics coordination, result management, staff training, and stakeholder engagement strategies, all of which have been central to INEC’s success.

By hosting this delegation, Nigeria continues to play a leading role in promoting democratic governance across the African continent, fostering regional cooperation, and strengthening the credibility of elections.