The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday welcomed a delegation from the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) and the Coalition of Ethiopian Civil Society Organisations for Elections (CECOE) at its headquarters in Abuja, in a move aimed at enhancing electoral cooperation and strengthening democratic institutions across Africa.
The visit, facilitated by the German Agency for International Development (GIZ), forms part of an ongoing exchange of electoral best practices between African countries, focusing on deepening transparency, inclusivity, and institutional learning.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, described the visit as an “extraordinary engagement,” emphasizing that it marked the first time the Commission would host both an electoral management body and a civil society coalition from another nation at the same time.
“This visit is significant because, in the past, our engagements were primarily with sister electoral commissions. Today, we are receiving not just the NEBE led by its Deputy Chairman, Mr. Tesfaye Niwai, but also CECOE, which represents more than 180 civil society organisations,” Yakubu said.
Highlighting the shared democratic aspirations between Nigeria and Ethiopia, Yakubu noted that both nations share common challenges and strengths in governance, diversity management, and federal administration.
“Nigeria and Ethiopia are both multi-ethnic and multi-religious countries operating federal systems to accommodate our diversity. With populations exceeding 135 million in Ethiopia and over 220 million in Nigeria, our two nations together make up nearly a quarter of Africa’s population,” he stated.
He explained that INEC and NEBE perform similar constitutional duties, including conducting national and regional elections, registering and regulating political parties, monitoring campaign finance, delineating constituencies, accrediting observers, and conducting voter education.
During the one-week study visit, the Ethiopian delegation will engage in nine technical sessions covering strategic election planning, monitoring and support systems, the use of technology in voter registration, inclusion of internally displaced persons and persons with disabilities (PWDs), candidate nomination, observer accreditation, media engagement, and voter education.
INEC has also invited key Nigerian stakeholders — including civil society organisations, media professionals, and the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) — to participate in selected sessions to foster cross-learning and multi-stakeholder collaboration.
Yakubu informed the visitors that their tour coincides with the ongoing voter registration exercise in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) ahead of the 2026 Area Council elections, giving them the opportunity to observe the registration process in real time.
“I encourage you to engage freely with our officials and other stakeholders. This visit is not only a chance for us to share our experiences but also to learn from yours,” he added.
The INEC Chairman expressed gratitude to GIZ for facilitating the visit and for its continued support in advancing democratic governance across Africa.
The engagement further reinforces INEC’s growing reputation as a model institution for electoral management on the continent, promoting peer learning, regional cooperation, and institutional capacity-building for stronger democratic systems in Africa.
