Stakeholders have called for comprehensive data protection assessments across Nigeria’s electoral ecosystem ahead of the 2027 general election, warning that the growing use of digital technologies in elections has increased the risk of personal data misuse, voter profiling and loss of public trust.
The call was made during a webinar hosted by the Digital Rights Lawyers Initiative, with support from Luminate, under the theme, “2027 General Elections, Voters’ Privacy and Public Trust: Matters Arising.”
Participants said Nigeria’s electoral process has become increasingly data-driven, with the Independent National Electoral Commission relying on biometric registration, the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and other digital tools for voter identification and election management.
Speaking at the event, Senior Programme Officer at the Policy and Innovation Network, Khadijah El-Usman, said concerns over voter data protection go beyond INEC and extend to telecommunications companies, political parties, campaign organisations and other actors involved in the electoral process.
She said institutions handling voters’ personal information must clearly identify the type of data they collect, the purpose of collection, who has access to it, how it is stored, how it is shared and when it is deleted.
El-Usman warned that weak data controls could expose sensitive voter information to misuse, intimidation and political profiling.
She cited reported incidents of internal data leaks and abuse of authorised access, saying such developments show the need for stronger accountability measures, role-based access controls, continuous monitoring and independent cybersecurity audits.
She also called for greater transparency from the Nigeria Data Protection Commission and other oversight institutions, noting that public confidence can only be strengthened when citizens know what is being investigated and what standards will be enforced.
“Transparency is what will build trust and confidence. The public needs to know what has been done, what is being investigated and what standards will be enforced going forward,” she said.
Deputy Director of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, Oluwadare Kolawole, described privacy as an enabler of democratic governance.
He said citizens must be able to participate in elections without fear of intimidation, surveillance or misuse of their personal information.
According to him, confidence in elections is strengthened when voters trust that their data will not be used against them because of their political choices.
Kolawole referenced the controversy surrounding the leaked voter registration details of actor Emeka Ike, describing it as an example of the risks posed by inadequate data protection.
He said safeguarding personal information is essential to protecting citizens’ rights to freedom of expression, association and political participation.
“It would also mean that surveillance would not be deployed against those who perhaps showed their preference for political parties or particular candidates. They can engage in political discussions and attend meetings for their preferred candidates before and after elections,” he said.
Kolawole also warned against political profiling and online labelling of citizens based on their political views, saying such practices could discourage civic engagement.
He maintained that protecting voters’ data would strengthen public confidence in the electoral system and boost trust in INEC as preparations for the 2027 general election intensify.
Human rights lawyer and Principal Counsel at Inibehe Effiong Chambers, Inibehe Effiong, said while Section 37 of the Constitution guarantees the right to privacy and the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 provides statutory protection, serious questions remain about INEC’s capacity to uphold those obligations.
Effiong said previous incidents, including reports of discarded Permanent Voter Cards and inaccuracies in the voter register, had weakened public confidence in the commission’s data management systems.
He also referred to the recent controversy involving Emeka Ike’s voter information, warning that the matter should not be treated as an isolated incident.
According to him, the incident points to broader concerns about institutional weaknesses and the handling of sensitive voter data.
“The problem is not a lack of laws. Nigeria has extensive constitutional and statutory provisions on privacy rights. The challenge is whether institutions have the integrity and capacity to enforce those rights,” he said.
Effiong urged Nigerians and civil society organisations to continue demanding accountability from INEC ahead of the 2027 polls, stressing that data privacy must be protected before, during and after elections.
He also called for greater transparency on unresolved concerns relating to INEC’s Result Viewing Portal.
Head of Research, Monitoring and Evaluation at Yiaga Africa, Safiya Bichi, said the growing adoption of technology and artificial intelligence in elections makes data protection a critical component of credible polls.
She said compliance with Nigeria’s data protection laws should be treated as a key indicator of electoral integrity.
Bichi urged INEC to maintain a robust data protection policy to guide the collection, storage, sharing and protection of citizens’ information.
According to her, the voter register database, being one of the country’s largest repositories of personal information, must be secured through strict procedures and accountability safeguards.
She noted that although INEC shares voter registers with political parties and state electoral commissions as required by law, sensitive biometric data is excluded.
Bichi also called for stronger access controls, effective tracking of data breaches and greater accountability in the management of databases hosted outside Nigeria.
She warned that clear legal frameworks are needed to govern cross-border data storage and ensure that citizens’ information is protected against misuse.
The speakers agreed that protecting voters’ privacy is central to electoral credibility, public trust and democratic participation ahead of the 2027 general election.
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