Benin Republic Electoral Commission Visits Nigeria to Learn from INEC

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has pledged to share INEC’s experience and provide relevant documents to assist the Commission Electorale Nationale Autonomie (CENA) of Benin Republic in preparing for their 2026 elections. Yakubu made this commitment while addressing a visiting delegation from CENA in Abuja on Monday. The President of CENA, Dr. Sacca Lafia, and other officials from the Benin Republic Electoral Commission are in Nigeria to undertake a study visit as part of their preparations for what they anticipate will be their most complex election cycle in 2026. CENA is set to conduct three elections within a span of three months—Legislative and Local Elections in January 2026, followed by the Presidential election in April 2026. Yakubu explained that, due to the complexity of these elections, the 12-member Benin Republic delegation, led by Dr. Lafia, including National Commissioners, Directors, and key staff, had come to learn from INEC’s processes and procedures. He noted that CENA is particularly interested in understanding Nigeria’s legal framework for elections, the design and printing of election materials, the recruitment and training of election officials, budgeting, payments to service providers, election security, the use of technology, the accreditation of local and international observers, and stakeholder engagement, among other aspects of Nigeria’s electoral experience. Yakubu added that INEC has prepared a comprehensive program for the visit, covering all areas of the electoral process. He emphasized that various departments within INEC will brief the visitors to foster peer learning and support to strengthen the Benin Republic’s electoral processes. “I want to assure CENA that we will fully share our experience with you and provide all relevant documents that will deepen your understanding of our processes,” Yakubu concluded.