The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has urged the National Assembly to increase its 2025 budget allocation to N126 billion, stating that the proposed N40 billion is insufficient to cover its operational costs for the year.

INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, made the request on Friday during his appearance before the joint committee of the Senate and House of Representatives on INEC, where he defended the commission’s 2025 budget proposal.

Yakubu explained that the N40 billion would only cover about one-third of the projected expenses, which total over N126 billion. He emphasized that personnel costs, driven by the implementation of the new minimum wage, alone would consume the entire N40 billion.

“In addition to the off-cycle elections for 21 constituencies and the Anambra governorship election, the budget also needs to account for other essential costs, which are largely tied to our constitutional duties,” Yakubu stated.

He also noted that INEC had previously requested N10.5 billion in intervention funds for the Edo and Ondo off-cycle elections and an additional N500 million for 2024 bye-elections due to inadequate budget allocations.

While committee members showed support for INEC’s financial needs, Senator Ireti Kingibe from the FCT acknowledged the need to increase the budget but raised concerns about identifying the sources of funding.

Following the deliberations, the committee held an executive session with Yakubu and national commissioners to discuss the next steps.