The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on Monday, hosted a visiting 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.

The study visit, facilitated by the German Agency for International Development, GIZ, is part of an ongoing exchange of electoral best practices aimed at strengthening democratic institutions in Africa.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, described the visit as an ‘extraordinary engagement,’ noting that it was the first time the Commission would host a joint delegation of both 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.

“Today, we are hosting not just the National Election Board of Ethiopia, NEBE, led by its Deputy Chairman, Mr. Tesfaye Niwai, but also the Coalition of Ethiopian Civil Society Organisations for Elections, CECOE, representing over 180 civil society groups,” Yakubu said

The INEC Chairman emphasized the shared values and democratic aspirations between Nigeria and Ethiopia, pointing out similarities in governance structures, diversity management, and election administration.

“Nigeria in West Africa and Ethiopia in East Africa share a lot in common. Both countries are multi-ethnic and multi-religious, operating a federal system of government to manage their diversity.

“With populations exceeding 135 million in Ethiopia and over 220 million in Nigeria, together we account for about a quarter of Africa’s total population,” he noted.

Yakubu also highlighted that both INEC and NEBE share constitutional responsibilities such as the conduct of national and regional elections, registration and regulation of political parties, monitoring of campaign finance, delimitation of constituencies, creation of polling units, and accreditation of election observers and voter education programs.

Over the course of the one-week study visit, the Ethiopian delegation will participate in nine technical sessions designed to expose them to various aspects of Nigeria’s electoral process.

The sessions will cover topics such as strategic election planning, monitoring and support systems, use of technology in voter registration, inclusivity for displaced persons and Persons with Disabilities, PWDs, candidate nomination, observer accreditation, media engagement, and voter education.

For broader engagement, civil society organisations, media representatives, and the Inter-Party Advisory Council, IPAC, have also been invited to participate in specific sessions to encourage cross-learning and stakeholder interaction.

Yakubu further informed the visitors that the study tour coincides with the ongoing voter registration exercise in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, ahead of the Area Council elections slated for February 2026, offering the delegation a firsthand experience of voter registration operations in Nigeria.

“I urge you to freely interact with our officials and other critical stakeholders. We will also take the opportunity to learn from your experiences as we share ours,” he said.

The INEC Chairman expressed appreciation to GIZ for facilitating the engagement and for its continued support of electoral development initiatives across Africa.

The study visit underscores INEC’s growing role as a reference point for electoral management in Africa, promoting regional collaboration, peer learning, and democratic resilience through knowledge exchange and institutional partnerships.