The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has begun engaging organisations representing persons with disabilities as part of efforts to improve their participation in Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
The commission’s latest engagement involves the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), Organisations of Persons with Disabilities and disability cluster heads. The initiative is focused on voter sensitisation, mobilisation and identifying practical measures that can help eligible voters with disabilities participate more effectively in the electoral process.
Representing INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan, the Acting Chairman of the commission, Prof. Rhoda Gumus, said the engagement was important as preparations for the 2027 elections gather momentum.
She said INEC was committed to an electoral process that is inclusive, accessible and responsive to the needs of eligible citizens, while stressing the importance of using communication methods that address the different needs of persons with disabilities.
The commission said voter education efforts would include disability-specific communication channels, community-based organisations, radio, social media and other assistive formats. The approach is intended to ensure that important electoral information reaches voters who may face communication or accessibility barriers.
INEC also urged disability organisations to take an active role in sensitising their members ahead of the elections. The commission said information should cover voter registration, Permanent Voter Card collection, voting procedures, available accessibility measures and other stages of the electoral process.
According to INEC, its existing measures for improving accessibility include Braille ballot guides for visually impaired voters, magnifying glasses for persons with albinism and partial blindness, written instruction materials for hearing-impaired voters and sign-language interpretation at major events and final collation centres.
The commission also has provisions for accessible polling units and priority assistance for voters with disabilities.
INEC’s available data, compiled before the introduction of its Automated Fingerprint Identification System, recorded 137,487 persons with disabilities. The figure included visually impaired persons, hearing-impaired persons, persons with albinism, people with physical impairments and other disability categories.
The latest engagement comes against a broader push for greater political participation by persons with disabilities ahead of the 2027 elections. Earlier in 2026, the EU Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria programme launched an initiative aimed at increasing the participation of persons with disabilities not only as voters but also as political aspirants, candidates and elected officials.
A voter registration outreach conducted in the Federal Capital Territory also targeted persons with disabilities and other underserved groups, with officials providing registration, PVC replacement and transfer services closer to communities that may face difficulties accessing conventional registration centres.
The issue extends beyond access to polling units. A 2026 survey by Invictus Africa found that 38.7 per cent of respondents said they would support a person with a disability in the 2027 elections, while 61.3 per cent of respondents who had never voted for such a candidate said they had not been aware of one on the ballot. The findings point to visibility, political opportunity and voter information as some of the issues surrounding the participation of persons with disabilities.
As preparations for the 2027 elections continue, INEC’s engagement with disability organisations is expected to provide an avenue for identifying barriers that may prevent eligible voters with disabilities from participating fully. The commission has said the discussions will also help stakeholders agree on practical actions to be implemented before, during and after the elections.
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