INEC TO BLOCK UPLOAD OF ELECTION RESULTS WITH UNRESOLVED DISCREPANCIES ON IREV

By NaijaParrot October 23, 2026 

 ABUJA, NIGERIA — The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced plans to prevent election results containing unresolved discrepancies from being uploaded to its Result Viewing Portal (IReV) as part of efforts to strengthen transparency ahead of the 2027 general elections. The commission disclosed the measure while explaining its plans to deploy artificial intelligence (AI) technology to improve the accuracy of election result management and reduce errors during the electoral process. According to reports by Punch Newspapers and InsideBusiness, INEC’s Director of Information and Communication Technology, Dr Lawrence Bayode, explained that the proposed system would compare figures entered electronically with the information contained in scanned polling-unit result sheets before permitting uploads.

Under the proposed process, the system will compare electronically entered election figures with scanned copies of Form EC8A, the official document used to record results at polling units. Where the figures match, the result can proceed to the uploading stage. However, if the system detects differences between the electronic entries and the scanned result sheet, the discrepancies must be examined and resolved before the result can be uploaded to IReV. INEC says the approach is intended to minimise human errors and ensure that results displayed on the portal correspond with the figures recorded at polling units. 

 Bayode made the disclosure on Thursday during an event in Abuja organised by Rise Networks and its partners to launch the AI for Elections Hackathon. The initiative is designed to encourage the development of locally built artificial intelligence solutions for electoral challenges. INEC is also exploring the use of AI in voter information services, electoral data management, operational efficiency and the detection of misinformation and disinformation. The commission said the technology would support existing processes, while work continues on safeguards for responsible deployment. 

 IReV allows members of the public to view scanned images of polling-unit result sheets. It is intended to improve transparency by enabling voters, political parties, observers and other stakeholders to inspect results recorded at polling units. However, former INEC National Commissioner Festus Okoye recently stressed the importance of distinguishing between uploading result sheets to IReV and transmitting results to the next stage of collation. These are separate processes within election administration.

 The distinction is important because an upload check does not, by itself, resolve every possible dispute about result collation or determine the final outcome of an election. 

 INEC’s proposed use of AI comes as the commission prepares for the 2027 general elections, following criticism over the delayed uploading of presidential election result sheets during the 2023 polls. For the new system to strengthen public confidence, clear procedures will be needed to explain how discrepancies are identified, who is authorised to resolve them and how corrections are documented. 

 The commission’s implementation of the technology, alongside transparent procedures and effective oversight, will be closely watched as preparations for the next elections continue. 

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