The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, on today received the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, and his team during a courtesy visit to the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
The visit provided an opportunity for both institutions to strengthen collaboration on civic education, voter awareness and the promotion of democratic values ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Welcoming the NOA delegation, Professor Amupitan described the engagement as more than a routine courtesy visit, but a meeting between two institutions with shared constitutional responsibilities to educate Nigerians and deepen democratic culture.
He said the growth of Nigeria’s democracy requires more than improved electoral technology and efficient election management, stressing that citizens must be well informed and actively involved in the democratic process.
“INEC cannot build a robust democracy in isolation. We can purchase the finest BVAS machines, optimise the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) and improve our logistics, but all these achievements mean little if citizens remain detached, cynical or uneducated about the power of their votes,” the INEC Chairman said.
Amupitan noted that the NOA remains a strategic partner because of its grassroots presence and ability to communicate directly with Nigerians across communities.
He identified voter apathy, misinformation and lack of understanding of electoral processes as major challenges that require joint action from both agencies.
The INEC Chairman called for a continuous and grassroots-driven voter education campaign that would go beyond election periods and reach different segments of society, including young people, rural communities, traditional institutions and civil society organisations.
He highlighted recent electoral exercises as evidence of improvements in the nation’s election management system, citing advancements in biometric accreditation, result transmission and polling unit operations.
However, he noted that the elections also revealed the need for deeper civic education, particularly among new voters and young Nigerians who require better understanding of their democratic rights and responsibilities.
Earlier, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu thanked the INEC Chairman, commissioners, directors and personnel of the Commission for their commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s electoral process.
“Democracy is the principle and the metric upon which this country either survives or fails. The right of citizens to decide who will lead them is something we must protect and promote,” Issa-Onilu said.
The NOA Director-General commended INEC for recognizing the importance of voter education, noting that the emergence of a large youth population makes continuous democratic awareness more important than ever.
He said the knowledge gap among citizens regarding the electoral process remains a concern and requires stronger institutional cooperation.
Issa-Onilu explained that NOA’s nationwide structure gives it the ability to reach communities at the grassroots level through engagements with traditional rulers, religious leaders, markets, transport unions, civil society groups and other stakeholders.
He stated that the agency’s responsibility goes beyond communicating government policies, programmes and projects, as it also includes promoting patriotism, national values and responsible citizenship.
“NOA cannot do it all alone, but NOA can lead the way,” he said.
The NOA boss called for a stronger collaboration between INEC’s voter education department and NOA’s Civic Values and Democracy Education structures to increase voter participation, tackle misinformation and promote confidence in Nigeria’s democratic process.
