INEC Partners With Disability Groups for 2027 Elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) held a national strategy engagement in Abuja with the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities and other organizations to increase participation in the 2027 general election. The meeting focused on creating targeted sensitization and mobilization strategies to remove barriers to voter registration and polling unit accessibility.

During the engagement, INEC reported that its ICT department had captured 137,487 persons with disabilities prior to the Automated Fingerprint Identification System exercise. This data includes 54,941 persons in other disability categories, 30,561 with albinism, 19,430 with physical impairments, 13,080 visually impaired persons, and 9,299 hearing impaired persons.

While disability leaders commended the commission's inclusion policies, they urged for more frequent strategic engagements and improved grassroots mobilization. The National Commission for Persons with Disabilities highlighted how mobility and assistive device barriers continue to limit participation, while the Inclusive Friends Association proposed a mobilization model based on mapping disability networks and priority gaps.