Nigeria: Election campaigns, can technology finally guarantee credible elections?

Since Nigeria's return to democracy in 1999, every election raises the same lingering question: will votes be accurately counted? As election campaigns officially kick off in August 2026, this question resurfaces with particular intensity in a country of over 200 million inhabitants where trust in the electoral process remains fragile. According to Ejiro Ofoye, in an opinion piece published by Vanguard, political parties are stepping up travel across the country, mobilizing activists, and unveiling their manifestos. But beyond campaign promises, millions of Nigerians are questioning the integrity of the upcoming vote, a recurring doubt over twenty-five years of democratic practice. The issue goes beyond the simple electoral calendar: it touches on the very legitimacy of institutions arising from the ballot box, the country's political stability, and the confidence of both citizens and investors in Nigeria's ability to organize peaceful and credible transitions. This text, still partial at this stage, announces a reflection on the role of technology in making the vote reliable, without detailing its concrete mechanisms. A more comprehensive analysis will need to verify which technical devices (biometrics, electronic transmission of results, etc.) will actually be deployed during this election.