The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday received 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.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, described the meeting as an “extraordinary engagement”, noting that it marked the first time the commission would host a joint delegation of an electoral management body and a civil society coalition from another country.
“This visit is unique because, in the past, we interacted mainly with colleagues from electoral commissions,” Yakubu said. “Today, we are hosting not just the National Election Board of Ethiopia, led by its Deputy Chairman, Mr. Tesfaye Niwai, but also the Coalition of Ethiopian Civil Society Organisations for Elections, representing over 180 civic groups.”
He highlighted the shared democratic values and institutional similarities between Nigeria and Ethiopia, emphasizing both nations’ multi-ethnic composition, federal structures, and commitment to credible elections.
“Nigeria in West Africa and Ethiopia in East Africa share a lot in common. With populations exceeding 135 million in Ethiopia and over 220 million in Nigeria, both countries together represent about a quarter of Africa’s population,” Yakubu noted.
According to him, INEC and NEBE share similar constitutional duties, including conducting elections, registering political parties, monitoring campaign finance, delineating constituencies, creating polling units, accrediting observers, and promoting voter education.
During the one-week study visit, the Ethiopian team will attend nine technical sessions covering various aspects of Nigeria’s electoral system, such as strategic election planning, use of technology in voter registration, inclusivity for displaced persons and persons with disabilities, candidate nomination, observer accreditation, media engagement, and voter education.
