The Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) at the weekend threw its weight behind real-time electronic transmission of election results, dismissing the Nigerian Senate’s reasons for rejecting the proposal as professionally indefensible.
In a statement in Abuja signed by the NSE President, Ali Rabiu, the umbrella body of engineers in Nigeria said that none of the arguments advanced by lawmakers against mandatory real-time transmission had the endorsement of any competent professional or technical body.
The Senate had during the week opted to retain existing provisions that allow the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to transmit results “in a manner prescribed by the Commission,” rather than mandating immediate electronic uploads from polling units to INEC’s result viewing portal.
The NSE recalled that lawmakers justified their position by citing poor network coverage across large swathes of the country, particularly in rural and remote areas; cybersecurity risks associated with hacking and data interception; weak infrastructure such as unreliable electricity at polling units; and the possibility that technical failures could trigger prolonged legal disputes over election outcomes.
But the NSE rejected these concerns, arguing that they reflect outdated assumptions about modern election technology and underestimate Nigeria’s existing and potential technical capacity.
“Let it be on record that the reasons mentioned above do not have the endorsement of any technically proficient professional organisation such as the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE). Electronic transmission of election results offers several technical advantages that could enhance the integrity, efficiency and credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process,” the organisation argued.
According to the engineering body, electronic transmission of results offers clear advantages over the current reliance on manual movement of result sheets, which it described as highly vulnerable to manipulation, loss and alteration during transit.
The society noted that secure electronic systems rely on proven tools such as end-to-end encryption and digital signatures, which significantly reduce human interference and protect data integrity from polling units to central servers.
It added that real-time digital uploads would drastically shorten collation and announcement timelines, enabling results to be aggregated within hours rather than days.
Addressing concerns about network coverage, the NSE argued that modern election systems are designed to operate in hybrid environments. It said that technologies such as 4G and 5G cellular networks, satellite communication for hard-to-reach areas and offline data caching that synchronises once connectivity is restored can ensure nationwide coverage without compromising accuracy or transparency.
On cybersecurity, the society maintained that electronic systems are not inherently more vulnerable than manual processes, which are susceptible to physical interference. It said properly designed platforms can incorporate multiple layers of security, audit logs and access controls. Digital records, it added, improve accuracy by eliminating transcription errors and enable robust auditability through timestamped ledgers and verification dashboards accessible to stakeholders.
From a cost perspective, the engineers’ body said while initial investments are required, these would be offset over time by savings from reduced printing, transportation and personnel costs. Cloud-based systems, it said, are scalable enough to handle results from Nigeria’s more than 176,000 polling units, with built-in redundancy to manage technical failures.
“Through it (real-time transmission), the country stands the chance of benefiting from the following: Reduced Risk of Manipulation: Manual transfer relies on physical transport of result sheets, which is prone to tampering, loss or alteration during transit. Electronic systems use secure protocols like end-to-end encryption and digital signatures to ensure data integrity from polling units to central servers, minimising human intervention.
“Faster Collation and Announcement: Real-time digital uploads enable automated aggregation, cutting result declaration time from days to hours. This leverages network technologies (e.g., cellular 4G/5G or satellite links in remote areas) to bypass logistical delays in our nation’s vast terrain.
“Improved Accuracy and Auditability: Digital records eliminate transcription errors common in manual processes. Blockchain or timestamped ledgers provide immutable audit trails, allowing independent verification by stakeholders via Application Programming Interface (API) or dashboards.
“Cost Savings and Scalability: Initial setup costs are offset by reduced printing, transportation and personnel needs for manual handling. Scalable cloud-based systems can handle the over 176,000 polling units efficiently, with redundancy measures like offline caching for areas with poor connectivity,” the organisation argued.
Citing successful deployments in countries such as Estonia and India, the NSE said Nigeria could strengthen the credibility of its electoral process by embracing real-time transmission within INEC’s existing technological framework.
“At the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), we believe that adopting real-time transmission of election results, as seen in successful implementations in countries like Estonia and India, could have addressed Nigeria’s history of electoral disputes while complying with INEC’s existing tech infrastructure. Therefore, we declare our full support for real-time electronic transmission of election results,” the engineering body stated.
Emmanuel Addeh
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