Amupitan: BVAS Has Effectively Solved Identity Theft in Nigerian Polls
Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has said that while the commission’s steady deployment of technology has boosted credibility of elections in the country, however, it is by no means a cure-all.
He stated this while speaking at the 2025 Digital Nigeria International Conference and Exhibitions in Abuja, held on Tuesday, November 11, 2025 and organised by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
Amupitan, however, stressed that the deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) has effectively solved the protracted challenge of identity theft in Nigeria’s elections.
The Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Dayo Oketola, in a statement issued Tuesday, said Amupitan was represented by Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu, a National Commissioner at the event.
He stressed that the era of multiple voting and identity fraud is over, adding that the BVAS signposted a milestone in the nation’s democratic history, having become a ‘foolproof mechanism’ for verification.
Amupitan noted: “The BVAS device has become our frontline defence against identity fraud, ensuring that only the rightful, eligible voter can be accredited at the polling unit.
“With the biometric safeguards now in place, voter impersonation has been effectively eliminated from our electoral system.”
Standing before a diverse audience of tech innovators, policy makers and civil society actors, Amupitan backed his assertion with BVAS data from the recently concluded Anambra governorship election.
He added: “The 6,879 BVAS devices configured and deployed for the Anambra polls recorded a highly commendable performance. Over 99 per cent of polling unit results were uploaded to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal on Election Day itself.
“These outcomes confirm that the deployment of BVAS and IReV is no longer experimental but an entrenched part of Nigeria’s electoral architecture.
“The figure announced at the polling units is the same figure visible to the public. Technology has safeguarded the vote.”
The chairman recalled that previous technologies, though innovative, lacked the ‘teeth’ of the law, leaving the commission vulnerable to technicalities in election tribunals.
However, that situation shifted with the Electoral Act 2022.
Amupitan highlighted Section 47(2) as the watershed provision that transformed digital devices from mere administrative guidelines into “statutorily protected pillars” of the electoral system.
“This legislative foundation ensures that our digital tools have both operational and legal legitimacy. It has strengthened public trust and enabled the commission to innovate with confidence,” he explained.
However, the erudite law professor admitted in the keynote address that while voter impersonation and multiple voting had been largely tackled with BVAS, connectivity remained a logistical headache.
According to Amupitan, “While the commission’s steady deployment of technology has boosted credibility, it is by no means a cure-all.
“With 176,846 polling units tucked into swamps, perched on mountains, and hidden in far-flung communities, achieving real-time upload of polling unit results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal remains one of the toughest battles for transparency on Election Day.
“A tool like the BVAS is only as good as the network it runs on.” He admitted that the commission will continue to engage the NCC and network providers to find ways of addressing the challenge, while actively exploring alternative technologies to bridge the gaps.
Despite these technology challenges, Amupitan said there was no U-turn in deploying technology for elections in the country.
“The gains we have recorded are too significant to reverse,” the INEC Chairman insisted. He outlined a future where the commission would not only stick with the current tech but actively upgrade it to more seamless solutions.
