AN ASSESSMENT OF THE EXTENT OF ADOPTION OF ELECTORAL TECHNOLOGIES IN NIGERIA'S ELECTORAL SYSTEM

Abstract

This study identified the extent of the adoption of electoral technologies being used in Nigeria’s electoral system to enhance the electoral system. The study was carried out in the six (6) State offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in southwestern Nigeria, a geopolitical zone comprising Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ondo, and Ekiti states, and at the national head office of INEC, Abuja. Primary data were collected using semi-structured key informant interviews and 240 copies of structured questionnaires administered in the Information and Communication Technology/Voter Registry (ICT/VR) and Electoral Operations (EOps) departments of the commission. The questionnaire elicited information on the extent of the adoption of electoral technologies such as biometric technologies and electronic registers of voters. Semi-structured key informant interviews of one of the top managers were conducted to assess the manager’s views on adopting electoral technologies in the commission. The study showed that out of the twenty (20) electoral technologies identified by this study, 99.5% had adopted biometric technologies, electronic register of voters (99.5%), electronic voters’ accreditation technologies (98.2%), electronic election results transmission technology (96.8%), electronic voter ID or smart voter ID (94.1%), and election results viewing portals (99.1%), which have the highest percentage of adoption. However, optical scan voting/scanned paper ballots (10.0%) and Internet voting technologies (6.4%) were rarely used. The study concluded that the extent of the adoption of electoral technologies in Nigeria’s electoral system could be improved