Regular elections are a permanent feature of Nigeria’s democracy. The 2023 general election, Nigeria’s seventh consecutive general election in its 25 years of uninterrupted democratic practice, tested Nigeria’s democratic credentials. The Presidential and National Assembly elections took place on 25 February 2023, while the Governorship and State Assembly elections, initially scheduled to hold on 11 March 2023, finally took place on 18 March 2023 following a one-week postponement by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC or the Commission).
The 2023 general election is one of the most meticulously planned since 1999. INEC produced a four-year strategic plan and a detailed Election Project plan ahead of the election. A new Electoral Act enacted one year in advance of the election stipulated the early release of election funds to INEC and empowered the electoral commission to deploy election technology, including electronic transmission of results. The Act made it possible for INEC to introduce new technologies for the general election such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and INEC Election Results Viewing Portal (IReV). The introduction of improved technology for voter registration by INEC, especially online pre-registration to vote, increased voter interest in the election. The Commission also established new polling units to decongest overcrowded ones and to locate polling units closer to voters to facilitate easier access.