Why Nigeria is not technologically ready for real-time result transmission — NICO chief

The Executive Secretary of the National Institute of Cultural Orientation (NICO), Abiodun Ajiboye, has explained why Nigeria is not yet ready to adopt electronic voting or real-time transmission of election results, saying the country currently lacks the capacity to implement such a system.

Ajiboye made the remarks in an interview on ARISE NEWS on Monday.

He said electronic transmission of results is closely tied to how elections are conducted, noting that Nigeria’s system remains largely manual.

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“Transmitting election results electronically is the function of the manner of voting. If you vote manually, and you collate results, how do you then transmit electronically real time? It’s just not possible. We can’t even afford it. Even if we wish to, we can’t afford it,” he said.

Ajiboye questioned whether the country’s existing infrastructure could support real-time electronic transmission, pointing to challenges within the telecommunications and power sectors.

“Do the telecom operators have that capability? Do we have enough electricity to undertake that responsibility in Nigeria?” he asked, adding that the infrastructure of telecom companies may not be sufficient to handle such a nationwide exercise.

He also referenced the vulnerability of electoral systems to cyber threats, recalling that during the last general election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) server was reportedly attacked over one million times.

“So what they’re saying is that we should put the electoral process within the vulnerability of hijackers, causing a lot of confusion. This is what I see them pushing,” he said.

Ajiboye maintained that manual processes remain central to elections in Nigeria, stressing that transparency is achieved at the polling-unit level through vote counting and verification by party agents.

“There are manual parts of election. You vote, and they count the votes there, the party agents append their signatures on the paper, and the paper can then be scanned and transmitted anyhow you want,” he said.

He insisted that Nigeria does not yet have the capacity for electronic voting or real-time transmission of results.

“A man is only able to do what he is capable of. We have no capability to do electronic voting or real-time transmission at this time,” Ajiboye said.

According to him, pushing for such reforms could also exclude rural voters who lack access to basic infrastructure.

“America does not even do real-time transmission. Go and check. We don’t even have telecom provided for some rural communities. Some rural communities don’t even have electricity. You’re trying to disenfranchise a lot of people by pushing for what is not possible,” he said, urging lawmakers to exercise caution.

Ajiboye also spoke on the mandate of NICO, describing cultural identity as central to national development.

“A man without a cultural identity is a man without a future. A nation without a cultural identity is a nation without a future,” he said, adding that cultural understanding is key to building responsible citizens.

He outlined some of the institute’s activities, including public lectures, cultural orientation courses, and plans to establish a Nigerian Academy for Cultural Studies in Ogbomoso.

On the Federal Government’s plan to merge agencies with overlapping functions, Ajiboye said the process was ongoing at the National Assembly, where agencies have been invited to justify their existence.

He added that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains committed to reforms aimed at strengthening governance and improving national development.

This comes amid ongoing debates over electoral reforms and the use of technology in Nigeria’s voting process.