Telcos reject Senate’s objection to e-result transmission ahead of 2027 poll

Nigeria’s leading telecommunications operators have dismissed claims by some National Assembly members that the country lacks the infrastructure for real-time electronic transmission of election results.

They insisted that the objections are based on half-truths rather than current industry data.

Operators, including MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom and T2 Mobile, argued that Nigeria has sufficient network coverage to support the electronic transmission of polling unit results to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s Result Viewing Portal (iREV) and collation centres ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The telcos, under the umbrella of the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), challenged the Senate to rely on verified data from the industry regulator, which is the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), rather than making broad claims about inadequate infrastructure.

Gbenga Adebayo, ALTON’s chairman, told newsmen that any assessment of telecom coverage not sourced from the NCC should not be considered reliable.

“As we speak today, over 70 percent of the country is covered by 3G and 4G networks, 5G has reached about 11 per cent coverage, while the remaining areas are on 2G,” Adebayo said.

“Even in reality, 2G is strong enough to transmit results electronically. We cannot accept a blanket ban on electronic transmission based on half-truths about our infrastructure and investments.”

He acknowledged that security challenges in parts of the country, particularly in about two states affected by insurgency, have limited operators’ ability to maintain facilities, but stressed that such issues should be addressed through stakeholder collaboration rather than used to justify a nationwide rejection of electronic transmission.

“That is what all stakeholders can sit together and decide how to cover,” he added. “It’s not enough to say the country is not ready.”

ALTON’s position aligns with that of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which had previously dismissed similar concerns ahead of the 2023 elections.

INEC maintained that where network challenges existed, results uploaded to iREV would transmit automatically once the device entered an area with coverage.

The renewed debate comes as preparations for the 2027 elections gather momentum, with electronic transmission widely viewed by civil society groups and voters as critical to improving transparency and public trust in the electoral process.

Increasingly, people argue that attempts to restrict e-transmission risk undermining democratic gains, fueling concerns among Nigerians that some lawmakers may be seeking to weaken electoral accountability rather than strengthen it.