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How and Why e-Voting Eludes Nigeria
Information technology (IT) experts said at the weekend that Nigeria’s failure to adopt electronic voting (e-voting) system is due mainly to the inability of the government to provide basic infrastructure such as power supply.
They also cited the poor quality of service provisioning by telecommunications operators, insisting that the outcome of electronic voting would be seriously compromised if the transmission of ballots and votes via telephones, private computer networks, or the Internet to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC’s) is unreliable.
Electronic voting system is currently not recognised by the Nigerian Constitution and is therefore illegal.
But some Nigerian experts say with the right technology, elections in Nigeria can be conducted electronically without any problems despite the fact that numerous programming and security flaws are found in various technologies everyday.
Professor David Adewumi, president, Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), told Nigeria CommunicationsWeek that he and his colleagues in the country are ready to complement INEC’s efforts.
He accused the federal government of not paying adequate attention to technology by not having computer professionals, on the board of directors of INEC and other agencies whose jobs are IT related.
Adewumi said, “On electronic voting, we are more than ready for electronic voting in Nigeria. The industry has the capacity for it. What government has to do is, get us involved in any of the project that is IT related.
“For instance, computer professionals ought to be members on the board of INEC, because majority of INEC’s activities are computer based. We have to be members of the Board to be able to drive it.
Also commenting, Mr. Rogba Adeoye, chairman, Lagos State chapter of NCS, said, “There is need for forensic experts to up their games, because there will be incidences of litigation that will require the computers and other electronic devices evidences. Law does not recognize ignorance. So, all of us must be at our beats.
“Electronic voting is a bit complex. NCS has been promoting electronic voting and we have the expertise to back it up. However, it is more than that; it must be backed up by the traffic carrier. You have the signal and the backbone to reach every nooks and crannies of Nigeria. So, if it the technology to drive it, yes, we have it, but it goes beyond that. There are other infrastructural needs must be in place before we can say electronic voting is achieving on a national scale. We do give the supportive elements to make it happen; we can verify your cards, make sure your votes are recorded, we later merge.
Elsewhere, Mr Oladipupo Olakunle, managing director, Clicksoft Limited, said, “We are ever ready. One of the ways of doing that is through NCS awards voting pattern. We have seen cases where certain contracts are awarded, even to foreigners during the national electoral processes; however, the indigenous companies have developed fantastic tools that can compete anywhere in the globe. They deserve to be given opportunity. That is what we are saying”.
News
PalmPay Launches CSR Initiatives to Empower Women, Foster Financial Literacy in Northern Nigeria
In a strategic move to expand financial inclusion in Nigeria, leading mobile banking platform, PalmPay has launched a series of CSR programs across Kano and Kaduna. The CSR initiative named “Passing the Baton” represents the brand’s commitment to passing on knowledge and providing the resources individuals and businesses need to achieve financial independence and drive economic empowerment.
This initiative is a bold move by PalmPay to bridge the opportunity gap in the North by providing financial literacy training and micro-business branding support to 5,000 women-owned businesses in Kano and Kaduna. This strategic initiative reaffirms PalmPay’s commitment to inclusive development and economic empowerment, particularly in underserved regions.
“At PalmPay, we believe that real financial inclusion must be far reaching and cover the grassroots,” said Chika Nwosu, Managing Director of PalmPay. “Our new CSR program is focused on supporting gender equity by equipping women with the knowledge, tools, and visibility they need to thrive as entrepreneurs in their communities.”
Through this initiative, beneficiaries will receive free health insurance, hands-on training workshops, enhanced store branding to boost visibility, and branded merchandise to strengthen their business presence.
The initiative is part of PalmPay’s broader strategy to extend its innovative solutions, expand its footprint in Northern Nigeria, while building sustainable partnerships with local stakeholders for long-term impact.
In a show of support, His Royal Highness, the Emir of Kano, Dr. Muhammadu Sanusi II, has endorsed the initiative, calling on other stakeholders to join forces with PalmPay in ensuring the North benefits fully from the growing digital economy. PalmPay has received commendation from community stakeholders, as the initiative aims to serve as a model for similar projects across other northern states.
As PalmPay continues to scale across Nigeria, the company remains committed to bridging the financial inclusion gap and empowering underserved groups, particularly women and youth, through its innovative solutions and impact initiatives.
Anambra State has once again demonstrated its leadership in digital transformation, emerging as one of Nigeria’s top three states in the 2025 e-Governance Report published by the Panorama CIAPS Governance Performance Index (CGPI).
According to the report — a collaborative effort between Nigerian Panorama and the Commonwealth Institute of Advanced Professional Studies (CIAPS) — Anambra ranks alongside Lagos and Enugu as the leading states in adopting and implementing e-governance practices that foster accountability, transparency, and improved service delivery.
In his remarks, Professor Anthony Kila, Director of CIAPS, emphasized the importance of e-governance in shaping how governments interact with citizens. “The centrality of e-governance allows us to assess the performance of state governments in the country. How the government treats the digital world says a lot about them,” he said.
The report evaluated states based on a comprehensive set of criteria, including website security, up-to-date content, public engagement, availability of online services, policy updates, and user accessibility. Anambra’s performance reflects the state’s deliberate investment in digital infrastructure and its commitment to leveraging technology as a tool for inclusive governance.
Reacting to the recognition, the Managing Director/CEO of the Anambra State ICT Agency, Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata, CFA, described the report as a welcome validation of the efforts being made under the leadership of Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, CFR, to reposition Anambra as a liveable and prosperous smart mega-city.
“This is not just about being tech-savvy,” Agbata said. “It’s about using digital tools to create real impact — making the government more accessible, responsive, and transparent. Anambra is building a digital future that works for everyone.”
The CGPI Report recommended that all states intensify efforts to train public servants, maintain digital platforms effectively, and build user-friendly systems that keep citizens informed and empowered. For Anambra, this recognition serves both as a milestone and a motivation to scale new heights.
As the journey continues, Anambra remains focused on setting the pace for e-governance in Nigeria in line with the Governor’s mantra of Everything Technology & Technology Everywhere.
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