Yiaga Africa Criticizes Senate's Decision on Electoral Act Amendments
On February 10, 2026, the Nigerian Senate held an emergency plenary session at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja to address public concerns regarding the rejection of mandatory real-time electronic transmission of election results in the recent amendment of the Electoral Act. Following protests at the National Assembly demanding mandatory real-time electronic transmission, the Senate revised the Electoral Act to permit electronic transmission of election results. The amendment includes provisions to manage potential technical challenges during elections, aiming to balance the adoption of electronic transmission with safeguards to ensure electoral integrity. This legislative change sparked debates about Nigeria's readiness and infrastructure capabilities to support such technology. Subsequently, the Nigerian National Assembly passed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, which introduced changes to election result transmission and notification timelines. Yiaga Africa's Executive Director, Samson Itodo, later criticized the Senate's amendments, expressing concerns that some provisions may undermine electoral integrity. Key figures involved include the Nigerian Senate, Godswill Akpabio, and Emmanuel Odo.
