Electoral Act: Telcos Reject Senate’s Infrastructure Claim
Last update: February 17, 2026
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Major telecom operators reject claims that Nigeria lacks infrastructure for real-time election result transmission...
Major telecommunications operators, including, MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom and T2 Mobile, have dismissed claims that Nigeria lacks sufficient telecom infrastructure to support real-time electronic transmission of election results.
The operators described the Senate’s position as based on “half-truth,” urging lawmakers to seek verified data from the industry regulator rather than rely on what they called outdated or misleading information.
Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, told Vanguard that any assessment of telecom infrastructure and coverage must come from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to be credible.
“Upon which survey or statistics is the Senate coming up with its position of inadequate telecom infrastructure?
“As we speak today, over 70 per cent of the country is covered with 3G and 4G, and 5G has about 11 per cent coverage, and the rest is 2G.
“Even in reality, 2G is strong enough to transmit results electronically. I do not know where the Senate is getting its information but we can’t take that blanket ban on electronic transmission based on a half-truth about our infrastructure and investments,” he said.
CBI News reports that the Senate had cited gaps in communications and power infrastructure as justification for rejecting mandatory real-time electronic transmission of results in the ongoing amendment to the Electoral Act.
However, Adebayo maintained that such concerns do not accurately reflect the present state of Nigeria’s telecom sector.
“We agree that there are just maybe about two states that, due to insurgency, that our members cannot risk going to maintain facilities. But that is what all stakeholders can sit together and decide how to cover those places. It’s not enough to say the country is not ready for electronic transmission,” he added.
His position aligns with that of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which in 2022 dismissed fears about network limitations.
INEC had explained that where connectivity is weak, results uploaded to its Result Viewing Portal (IReV) would automatically transmit once devices move into areas with stronger network coverage.
The renewed disagreement between lawmakers and telecom operators comes amid heated debate over Clause 60(3) of the proposed Electoral Act Amendment Bill, as stakeholders push for clarity on whether electronic transmission of results should be mandatory and conducted in real time ahead of the 2027 general elections.
