As the political landscape across the world shifts toward digital revolutions, Nigeria is also presented with the opportunity to transform its voting procedure, which has historically been carried out through traditional ballots paper, with physical votes being gathered, counted, and totaled across thousands of voting booths. Policymakers, experts, and individuals continue to debate on whether Nigeria is ready to embrace electronic voting (e-voting). Adopting electronic voting has the potential to completely transform Nigeria’s democratic procedures, but there are a number of obstacles that raise doubt on the viability of this transformation, from Security issues to technological limitations.
Notwithstanding the remarkable achievements of holding seven straight elections since 1999, there is a widely held belief among key stakeholders that the electoral practice is still beset by numerous issues that adversely affect the process amidst views that Nigeria’s democratic exploration has not yet been solidified. It should be noted that a number of technological solutions have been implemented in Nigeria’s electoral process in recent years. These include the introduction of an electronic voter registration system, biometric voter registration via Direct Data Capture Machines (DDCMs), electronic voter authentication via Smart Card Readers (SCR), and, more recently, a results viewing portal for uploading polling unit results.
Electronic voting system to streamline old processes.
Yet, a complete shift to e-voting from paper ballots remains a paramount topic that could bring significant changes to Nigeria’s democratic system. Paper votes practices have been historically time-consuming and logistically challenging, which frequently results in delays, ballot box snatching, and transparency problems. This process might be streamlined with an electronic voting system, allowing for real-time reporting and quicker vote counting. It might lessen the problems of ballot stuffing and manipulation that have dogged previous elections with digital protections. E-voting, according to many, would modernize Nigeria’s election infrastructure, bring it into compliance with international norms, and help ensure more effective and transparent elections.
Based on the comparative approaches to electronic voting and the current situation within INEC, the European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES) published a report titled “Challenges and opportunities for the implementation of e-voting in Nigeria: lessons from international experiences,” which highlighted the complexities of e-voting in Nigeria. Given Nigeria’s level of Infrastructure development and poor voter confidence in the electoral process, it was suggested that the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) with an integrated Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) be the most suitable and sustainable e-voting option.
Political parties have differing views on electronic voting.
Nigeria’s primary electoral authority, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has expressed openness to the use of Technology in elections but is still wary. The commission also acknowledged the budgetary, logistical, and technical requirements for a trustworthy electronic voting system. E-voting, however, might not be practical for Nigeria at this time for a number of significant reasons. The country’s digital divide is a significant problem as steady Electricity and dependable internet connectivity are both necessary for an electronic voting system in many Nigerian rural communities.
E-voting may expose the Electoral System to various cyberthreats that could compromise the vote’s integrity if appropriate security measures are not taken. Concerns of security, accessibility, openness, and confidence in the electoral process influence the opinions of different stakeholders and the general public in the discussion surrounding Nigeria’s possible transition to electronic voting. Political parties and candidates have differing views on electronic voting, which are frequently split along party lines. The topic of whether Nigeria is ready for electronic voting raises concerns about public trust, digital literacy, infrastructure, and security.
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Public trust in the electoral system is another problem, given Nigeria’s history of irregular elections and the widespread mistrust on procedures among the populace. There is still a lack of confidence in primary institutions like INEC, and any problems with the introduction of electronic voting might erode that confidence even more. High degrees of transparency and well-defined procedures are necessary for e-voting to be successful in order to reassure voters that the system is unbiased, safe, and equitable. Nigeria must take a calculated approach to e-voting, giving top priority to cybersecurity, Digital Infrastructure development, and fostering public trust in order to create the conditions for a smooth transition.