Nigeria's Senate Leader on Electoral Bill Infrastructure

Opeyemi Bamidele, the Senate Leader of Nigeria, has stated that the country is not prepared for mandatory real-time electronic transmission of election results. He cited significant gaps in Nigeria's communications and power infrastructure, referencing data from the Nigeria===Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Speedtest Global Index. According to Bamidele, broadband coverage stood at 70% in 2025, with internet penetration at 44.53% of the population. Nigeria ranked 85th out of 105 countries in mobile network reliability and 129th out of 150 in fixed broadband reliability, with speeds significantly lower than countries like the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. Additionally, approximately 85 million Nigerians (43% of the population) lack access to grid electricity. The Senate reviewed clause 60(3) of the Electoral Bill, 2026, which initially mandated real-time electronic transmission to the Nigeria===Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Result Viewing Portal (IReV). While retaining electronic transmission, the Senate added a caveat allowing Form EC8A to serve as the primary means of result collation if internet services fail. This decision reflects concerns about the nation's current capacity to support a fully electronic system.