In just 24 years of democracy, Nigeria has spent almost ₦1 trillion ($5.48bn) on elections—making our polls among the most expensive in the world. From the 1999 transition election that cost ₦32bn ($1.46bn) to the 2023 general elections that gulped ₦355bn ($815m), the bills keep rising. Yet, the credibility of the exercise keeps falling, with more disputes and petitions after every vote.
In 1999, Nigerians hailed the return to civil rule. The elections were relatively free, and losers like Chief Olu Falae accepted defeat without dragging the results to court. But by 2003, the game changed. Rigging and manipulation grew bolder, sparking 560 petitions. By 2007, that number had jumped to 1,290. Fast forward to 2023, and INEC recorded 1,996 petitions—the highest in our history. The more we spend, the more people reject the outcome.
📊 Elections in Nigeria: Cost vs Petitions
-
1999 → ₦32bn / 2 petitions
-
2003 → ₦55.1bn / 560 petitions
-
2007 → ₦74.2bn / 1,290 petitions
-
2011 → ₦99.7bn / 732 petitions
-
2015 → ₦122.9bn / 560 petitions
-
2019 → ₦242.2bn / 1,697 petitions
-
2023 → ₦355.3bn / 1,996 petitions
When compared globally, the waste becomes clearer. Pakistan ran its 2024 elections for just $164m, Russia spent $336m, and South Africa managed with $137m in 2024. Even Bangladesh—population 175 million—spent only $21m. Meanwhile, Nigeria, with 93 million registered voters, burned through over $815m in 2023 alone.
So why are our polls so costly yet so flawed? Analysts point to corruption, politicians’ do-or-die attitude, destruction of election materials, and expensive logistics in hard-to-reach areas. INEC also spends heavily on new machines each cycle—DDC kits in 2011, servers in 2019, BVAS and electronic transmission in 2023. But despite the tech, familiar problems remain: ballot snatching, falsified results, late arrival of materials, and gadgets failing on election day.
INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu insists the commission is underfunded, arguing that rising personnel costs, destroyed equipment, and additional by-elections stretch the budget. Still, critics ask: if nearly ₦1 trillion has been spent since 1999, why do our elections feel less credible with each cycle?
As 2027 approaches—with projections that it could cost up to ₦700bn—Nigerians are left wondering: are we funding democracy, or just paying more for chaos?
