The Independent National Electoral Commission has disclosed that 264,798 registered voters with disabilities are expected to participate in Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, as the commission intensifies efforts to improve the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the electoral process.
The figure was disclosed on Wednesday during a national strategy engagement between the electoral commission, the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities and Organisations of Persons with Disabilities on targeted sensitisation and mobilisation ahead of the 2027 elections.
According to the breakdown presented by the commission, 137,487 voters are classified under persons with disabilities generally, 13,080 are visually impaired, 9,299 are hearing impaired, 30,561 are persons with albinism, 19,430 have physical impairments, while 54,941 fall under other categories of disabilities.
The engagement, according to INEC, was designed to identify barriers confronting persons with disabilities and develop practical measures for improving their participation as voters, candidates, party members and other electoral stakeholders.
The commission’s position is particularly significant as preparations for the 2027 general elections gather pace. INEC has already commenced the formal electoral process for the polls and has emphasised the need for an inclusive electoral system.
Representing INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, at the engagement, National Commissioner Rhonda Gumus said the commission was committed to ensuring that disability did not become a barrier to exercising the constitutional right to vote.
She said the partnership with JONAPWD and other organisations of persons with disabilities was necessary because achieving an inclusive electoral process could not be handled by INEC alone.
According to the commission, sustained collaboration with disability organisations, civil society groups and other stakeholders would be required to improve voter education, mobilisation, accessibility and communication before and during the elections.
INEC said the latest figures underscored the need for targeted sensitisation so that persons with disabilities would receive adequate information and support throughout the electoral process.
The commission also identified accessibility to polling units, access to electoral information and communication, voting procedures and broader participation in politics as areas requiring continued attention.
“Disability inclusion cannot be achieved by the Commission alone. It requires the collective efforts of disability organisations, civil society organisations and, most importantly, PWDs themselves,” the commission said.
INEC urged participants at the engagement to provide practical recommendations that could strengthen existing interventions and remove barriers affecting persons with disabilities.
The commission further called for strategies that could be implemented at both national and state levels rather than limiting inclusion efforts to Abuja.
PWDs and Nigeria’s electoral process
INEC’s existing framework recognises the right of persons with disabilities to participate in elections as voters, candidates, party officials, observers and other stakeholders, provided they meet applicable legal requirements.
The commission’s voter-education materials also state that persons with disabilities who are Nigerian citizens and have attained the age of 18 are entitled to register as voters, while qualified persons with disabilities can contest elective positions.
The disclosure of the 264,798 figure therefore puts renewed attention on how effectively electoral infrastructure and voter education will accommodate this segment of the electorate.
For the 2027 elections, INEC has said it is working within the constitutional and legal framework governing the conduct of the polls. The commission has also identified the integrity of the voters’ register as a major component of election preparation.
With hundreds of thousands of voters with disabilities expected to participate, disability-rights organisations and electoral stakeholders are likely to focus increasingly on whether polling locations, voting procedures, information channels and election-day assistance are sufficiently accessible.
The commission said the success of its efforts would ultimately depend on translating stakeholder discussions into concrete measures at the national and state levels.
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