Lawyers are warning that safeguarding voters' personal data will be crucial to maintaining public confidence in Nigeria's 2027 general elections.
The Digital Rights Lawyers Initiative (DRLI) says attention has focused too heavily on electoral credibility and logistics. Concerns about how citizens' information is handled have grown more pressing as technology plays a bigger role in managing elections.
DRLI is organizing a virtual dialogue on June 24, 2026 to tackle the issue directly. The event is titled "2027 General Elections, Voters' Privacy and Public Trust: Matters Arising."
Experts in human rights, accountability and digital governance will gather to examine data protection challenges. They'll also explore opportunities to shield voter information before the next elections.
Panelists include Kolawole Oluwadare from the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP). Also attending: Khadijah El-Usman of Paradigm Initiative, Inibehe Effiong from his law chambers, and a research head from Yiaga Africa.
Solomon Okedara, co-founder of DRLI, will moderate the session. He stressed that public faith in elections extends far beyond what happens at polling stations.
"Public trust in elections is not built only at polling stations," Okedara explained. "It is also built through confidence that citizens' personal information is collected, processed and protected responsibly."
He noted that when citizens hand over their data to institutions, they deserve assurance against exposure and misuse. Any breach could undermine their fundamental rights.
Okedara highlighted that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) carries major responsibility. As custodian of one of Nigeria's largest databases, INEC must protect this sensitive information.
INEC processes personal data for over 93 million registered voters across the country. According to Okedara, the sheer scale and sensitivity of this information creates significant responsibilities and risks.
"Any compromise of electoral data could have consequences beyond individual privacy," he warned. "It could affect public confidence in the credibility of the electoral process itself."
Okedara emphasized that electoral data protection discussions go beyond cybersecurity alone. They encompass transparency, accountability, oversight and institutional responsibility.
DRLI argues that strong safeguards are essential for technology-driven electoral reforms. Such protections must strengthen democratic participation without creating vulnerabilities that weaken public trust.
As 2027 election preparations accelerate, protecting voter information matters just as much as ballot integrity. Both are equally vital to the credibility of the process.
Luminate is backing the programme as part of its push for digital rights and responsible technology governance in Nigeria.
