The European Union (EU) Delegation to Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has dismissed reports that it rejected an invitation from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to observe Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
The EU said it had accepted the invitation and would deploy an Electoral Expert Mission (EEM) comprising between two and four independent experts for the elections.
In a statement signed by the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, the delegation said INEC formally invited the EU on April 17, 2026, to deploy observers for the 2027 polls.
The EU said it responded to the invitation on July 28, thanking INEC and informing the commission of its decision to deploy an EEM, whose members would be formally accredited as observers by INEC.
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According to the statement, the mission would assess Nigeria’s electoral process against relevant international, regional and national obligations and commitments.
“An EEM, like an Electoral Observation Mission, assesses whether the electoral process is conducted in line with international, regional and national obligations and commitments on the conduct of democratic elections to which the country has subscribed,” the EU said.
The delegation said that the mission would produce a final report containing recommendations aimed at improving Nigeria’s electoral framework and future electoral processes.
“The report will be shared with the government, and if they agree, it can also be released to the wider public,” it stated.
The EU also rejected reports that its decision to deploy an expert mission rather than a conventional Electoral Observation Mission was prompted by Nigeria’s worsening security situation or alleged hostility towards EU observers and officials following the publication of its report on the 2023 general elections.
“The two alleged reasons mentioned in the press reports do not appear in the letter: these are pure speculations,” the delegation said.
The EU explained that it makes annual decisions on the nature of electoral missions it deploys to partner countries, taking into consideration the circumstances of each country and available resources.
“It is on this basis that the decision to conduct an EEM in Nigeria has been taken and will be further consulted with the relevant Nigerian authorities for its implementation,” it said.
Democratic Governance
The delegation further stressed that the decision would not affect the EU’s wider support for democratic governance and electoral development in Nigeria.
“This decision does not affect in any way the continuation of the implementation of the EU-funded project ‘Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria,’ including its dimension of support to the electoral process,” the statement said.
The EU also urged journalists and media organisations to verify reports concerning its positions directly with its press and communication office before publication.
“The EU Delegation respectfully reminds members of the esteemed media community that, to avoid issuing such misleading information about positions or statements of the EU, they can simply check their accuracy with the press and communication office of the EU Delegation,” it stated.
The clarification comes as political parties, electoral stakeholders and other actors continue preparations ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
