The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has commenced a two-day technical workshop in Lagos to develop a Strategic Communications Plan ahead of the 2027 General Elections.
The workshop, organised in collaboration with the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, (IFES) is holding on Friday October 23 and Saturday October 24, 2026 with the participation of National Commissioners and senior management staff of the Commission.
Declaring the workshop open, the National Commissioner and Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, (IVEC) Mohammed Haruna, described the initiative as long overdue but timely, given the Commission’s preparations for the forthcoming general elections.
Haruna explained that the workshop would help define communication priorities, improve coordination and information-sharing within the Commission, and strengthen engagement with electoral stakeholders and the general public. He also disclosed that the Commission’s complement of National Commissioners remained incomplete, as the process of filling existing vacancies was still ongoing.
The INEC National Commissioner commended IFES for its sustained support towards strengthening the credibility and integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process and democratic institutions.
The proposed Strategic Communications Plan is expected to establish a coordinated framework for disseminating timely, accurate and credible electoral information while improving public understanding of electoral processes.
A key component of the plan is a crisis communication framework designed to guide INEC’s response to emerging issues before, during and after the elections. The framework is also expected to strengthen the Commission’s capacity to tackle misinformation, address public concerns promptly and maintain transparent and consistent communication throughout the electoral cycle.
Other National Commissioners at the workshop included May Agbamuche-Mbu, Professor Rhoda Gumus and Professor Sunday Aja.
Also in attendance were the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Adedayo Oketola; the Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi; and other senior management staff of the Commission.
The initiative forms part of INEC’s efforts to promote transparency and accountability, strengthen stakeholder engagement and build public confidence in the electoral process ahead of the 2027 General Elections.
The Commission is expected to leverage the communications framework to improve information management and reinforce the importance of accurate and timely public information in the conduct of credible elections and the consolidation of democracy in Nigeria.
