The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said the country does not have 3G national coverage to guarantee the adequate transmission of 2023 election results.
According to the Commission, only about 50 percent of polling units in the country have a 3G network to transmit electoral results electronically.
The Commission’s conclusion is based on 2018 when it carried out a survey of 109,000 polling units, of the country’s 119,000 polling units were covered.
The surveyed polling unit areas were covered mostly by the 3G and 2G networks, which represents about 50.3% of the entire country, adding that about 49.7% of the national spread did not have Internet coverage, which will be required for real-time electronic transmission of electoral results.
The Executive Vice-chairman (EVC) of NCC, Professor Umar Danbatta made the disclosure when he appeared before the House of Representatives on Friday.
Danbatta who was represented by Ubale Maska, Executive Commissioner Technical Services, said electoral coverage conducted in 2018 by the commission, showed that about 50 percent of the polling units had 3G and 2G network services while 49 percent had 2G networks and below.
Officials of the NCC on Friday, July 16, 2021, were summoned and questioned by the House of Representatives over the suitability of the use of electronic devices for the transmission of election results in the country as part of ongoing discussion in the House as being provided in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
Asked if 2G technology could be used for electronic transmission of results, Maska said though he wished the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was around to answer, however, only 3G could transmit results effectively electronically.
When asked if the system is free from being hacked, Masks said “it is possible to hack.”
He said there is no system that is 100% free from hacking, adding that even the US election in 2016 was allegedly hacked.
The electoral act amendment bill which is being considered by the lawmakers had ignited uproar at the lower legislative chamber on Thursday.
Specifically, clause 52 of the bill which discusses the method of electronic transmission of the result.
