High cost of elections: How Nigeria spent N981.5bn on 7 polls in 24 years
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•Holds one of the most expensive balloting in the globe
•More funds for elections gulp, less credible the results become
By Clifford Ndujihe, Politics Editor
With seven elections in 24 years, the longest spell of civil rule since independence in 1960, Nigeria is gradually emerging as a democracy hub in Africa. However, the high cost of conducting elections, one of the most expensive in the world, and rising disputes and petitions as more funds are allocated, leave a sour taste.
Since Nigeria returned to civil rule in 1999, the country has conducted six transition elections with the sum of N949.47bn or $4.023bn.
In 1999, the outgoing military regime, according to reports, spent N32bn, about $1.46bn to conduct the 1998/1999 elections. In dollar terms, the 1999 polls remain the most expensive even though they were the least disputed.
Put together, the seven elections cost Nigeria a staggering N981.47bn or $5.483bn.
Apart from the 1999 polls, the costs of conducting the exercises have been rising to the extent that Nigeria’s elections have panned out as the most expensive in Africa and one of the most expensive in the world.
The cost of the various polls in Naira and Dollar given Nigeria’s official exchange rates at the time of conducts are as follows: 1999 -N32bn ($1.46bn); 2003- N55.172bn ($483.965m); 2007- N74.2bn ($618.333m); 2011- N99.7bn ($664.667m); 2015-N122.9bn ($646.842m); 2019-N242.2bn ($794.098m); and 2023-N355.298bn (815.475m).
Giving the trend, there are speculations that the 2027 polls may cost the country about N700bn. For the 2025 fiscal year, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC requested ¦ 126/ billion for its operations, which include preparation for the 2027 polls. The Federal Government’s initial proposal was ¦ 40bn, which INEC said was insufficient, especially considering higher minimum wages, personnel costs, the need for continuous voter registration, CVR, that is ongoing, replacement of voting machines (BVAS), and damaged equipment among others. The National Assembly increased the figure to ¦ 140/ billion in the 2025 approved budget.
In spite of the huge costs, the quality of successive polls continues to dwindle and attracting more petitions such that the 2023 general polls conducted with N355.298bn ($815.465m) had 1,996 petitions.
From good to bad
It was not like this at the beginning of the Fourth Republic in 1999. Elections were considered to be relatively free and fair back then.
Most losers took their losses in good faith and returned to the drawing board to prepare for the next election.
For instance, Chief Olu Falae, the Alliance for Democratic Party, AD, and All People’s Party, APP, joint presidential candidate, did not challenge the victory of General Olusegun Obasanjo of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in court even though he had some misgivings in 1999.
However, things started taking a bad shape in 2003 when election riggers got bolder in their manipulation enterprise. This led to the filing of 560 petitions that year.
Number of petitions in subsequent general election cycles is as follows: 2007 had 1290 petitions; 2011 (732); 2015 (560); 2019 (1,697); and 2023 (1,996).
More election funds, more petitions
Year – Petitions/Cost
1999 – 2 (N32bn or $1.46bn)
2003 – 560 (N55.172bn or $483.965m)
2007 —1290 (N74.2bn or $618.333m)
2011 – 732 (N99.7bn or $664.667m)
2015 – 560 (N122.9bn or $646.842m)
2019 —1,697 (N242.2bn or $794.098m)
2023 – 1,996 (N355.298bn or $815.465m)
Total – 6,840 (N981.47bn or $5.483bn)
Nigeria’s fixed Naira/dollar exchange rates
1999 —21.89
2003 —114
2007 — 120
2011 —150
2015 —190.16
2019 —305
2023— 435.7
Most expensive polls
Compared to other countries, Nigeria’s polls, according to Election Network, an international election observer group, were the most expensive in Africa and one of the most expensive in the globe.
Indeed, Pakistan that has an estimated population of 253 million compared to Nigeria’s 238 million, conducted her 2024 national elections with PKR47bn or $164.5m one year after Nigeria’s 2023 exercise gulped $815.465m
Russia’s 2024 polls cost 29.78 Rubies or $336.76m. it has a population of 146 million.
Canada’s 2021 polls took CAD630m ($497.7m.
Bangladesh with a population of 175.7 million conducted her 2024 elections with BDT2,276 Crore or $21.3m.
In Africa, Kenya spent KS36bn or $257m on her 2022 polls; Ghana did GHC 786.9m ($52.1m) in 2024 while South Africa’s exercise in 2024 cost Rand2.3bn or $137.8m.
Nigeria fared better than the United States of America, whose 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections gulped $15.9bn; and India that spent Rupees 2,408.01 Crore ($2.89m) on her 2024 elections. A Crore is 10 million.
In real terms, the Indian election is cheaper. While Nigeria registered 93.469 million voters for the 2023 elections, India that has a population of 1.46 billion people registered 96 Crore or 960 million voters.
Why our polls are very expensive
Corruption, do-or-die attitude of desperate politicians who destroy electoral materials that must be replaced, difficult terrain and attendant logistics have been fingered for the very high cost of conducting elections in Nigeria. Before the 2023 elections, some INEC offices and materials were burnt and destroyed in Delta and Ebonyi among others.
For every election since 1999, the INEC has embarked on voters registration. For the 2011 polls, specifically, the commission invested humongous suns on the purchase of 132 000 direct data capture – DDC – machines), voting operations (materials, logistics and training), the counting and transmission of results and voter education and information.
In 2019, the INEC invested heavily on server, which was eventually not used during the poll
And in 2023, the electoral umpire added results electronic transmission equipment to enhance credibility of the polls.
Opposition parties, some civil society groups, commentators, have picked holes in the funds allocated to the INEC and cited alleged flawed polls midwived by the commission.
Yakubu’s defence
Defending the INEC’s ¦ 18 billion supplementary budget for the 2023 elections, Chairman Professor Mahmood Yakubu, argued that the funds were essential to address increased operational costs. He stated that ¦ 10.6 billion of the supplementary budget was allocated to cover a 40% increase in staff peculiarity allowances, as approved by the Federal Government in April 2023. Also, ¦ 3 billion was voted for a ¦ 35,000 allowance awarded to each public servant for six months, alongside adjustments for new duty tour allowances. The remaining funds were earmarked for conducting 11 outstanding bye-elections and augmenting the cost differentials for off-cycle governorship elections in Bayelsa, Imo, and Kogi states.
Calling for better funding, Yakubu said that the INEC was underfunded and advocated for an increased budgetary allocation to strengthen electoral processes in the 2025 fiscal year, and ensure effective conduct of elections.
Poor performance despite high spending
Despite huge spending, the credibility of elections keep dwindling. Incidents of snatching of ballot materials, stuffing of ballot boxes, falsification and forgery of results, poor or non-transmission of results in real time, malfunctioning of BVAS and election gadgets, late arrival or non-arrival of electoral officers still characterise election conduct.
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