PRELIMINARY STATEMENT ON THE PWD PARTICIPATION AND THE CONDUCT OF THE FEBRUARY 25, 2023, GENERAL ELECTIONS IN NIGERIA

The 2023 General Election is a high-stake election, one that is very consequential and pivotal in charting the course of democracy in Africa at large. With voting already underway across the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory, TAF Africa through its first-ever Persons With Disabilities Election Hub has been closely observing the elections, specifically the participation of persons with disabilities. TAFAFRICA PWD ELECTION HUB deployed 700 trained and accredited observers who are currently collecting data on key processes as it relates to PWD participation in the election. TAFAFRICA’s observation of the 2023 General election has the objective of ascertaining the active and increased participation of persons with disabilities in the elections, as well as establishing if the election is inclusive, free, fair, credible, and reflects the supremacy of the electorates’ vote. TAFAFRICA PWD ELECTION HUB has also set up the first-ever election analysis hub for the review and assessment of key issues capable of undermining the active participation of PWDs in the elections. The following are TAFAFRICA PWD ELECTION HUB’s preliminary findings on the conduct of the elections based on data received from 273 field observers out of the 700 deployed.

General Atmosphere of the Elections;

Reports from TAFAfrica’s field observers indicate that the general atmosphere in which the election is being conducted has been peaceful and voting has largely proceeded smoothly without any major reports of violence or disruption of the process. Presently, only 13 PUs out of 128 are yet to register the presence of any security personnel.
Timeliness and Deployment

Data from the areas covered by our observers indicate that only 50 percent of INEC officials arrived at their polling units before 8:30 am. Data from TAFAFRICA PWD ELECTION HUB Dashboard further showed that only 38% arrived before 8:30, 45% arrived between 8:30 am and 9:30 am, and 18% arrived after 9:30 am. In the South-East zone, many polling units are yet to confirm the arrival of INEC officials. Data from TAFAfrica observers also show that 44% of Polling units have at least one (1) PWD INEC Ad hoc Staff. As regards the availability of important election materials, TAFAFRICA PWD ELECTION HUB data indicated that in at least 83% of polling units sensitive election materials like assistive devices, ballot papers, BVAS, results sheets, ballot boxes, and the voter register were available for the conduct of the election.

BVAS And Assistive Devices;
TAFAFRICA PWD ELECTION HUB data showed that in all 223 Polling Units, BVAS was available in most except in 3 Polling Units: LG Primary School Ipakodo, Ipakodo Ward, Okorodu LGA in Lagos State, Town Hall in Odurubu/Bolooadurubu Ward in Patani LGA in Delta State and Shopping Complex in Barnawa Ward, Kaduna South LGA in Kaduna. On the availability of assistive devices, Braille Ballot Guide are available only at 26 out of 273 PUs, Magnifying Glasses at 60 out of 273 PUs and Large Font Posters at 90 out of 273 PUs.

INEC was expected to provide 21,165 magnifying glasses at 16,071 polling units for persons with albinism and minor visual impairment, 6,167 posters at 5,085 PUs for those with hearing impairment nationwide, and 8,117 braille ballot guides at 5,957 PUs for the visually impaired.

In the FCT for instance, KUBWA VILLAGE/KOFAR SARKI (37-02-09-001) and DEIDEI PRY. SCHOOL FRONT OF PRY TWO BLOCK (37-02-09-059) both in Kubwa Ward, Bwari LGA are expected to have at least 6 and 13 registered visually impaired persons respectively. As such at least 1 braille ballot guide should be provided at these polling units. On the contrary, only large font posters were the only assistive devices made available.

Similarly, persons with albinism are registered at GAMES VILLAGE (37-06-02-139) Garki Ward, LUGBE F.H.A. GATE (37-06-03-014) Kabusa Ward and SABURI II HEALTH CENTER (37-06-12-06) Gwagwa Ward) all in the Municipal. Magnifying glasses are expected at these PUs but magnifying glasses were only provided at LUGBE F.H.A. GATE (37-06-03-014).

Accessibility to Polling Units and Priority Voting;
TAFAFRICA PWD ELECTION HUB data showed that 234 out of 273 PUs are accessible, and priority voting is being given to PWDs at 211 PUs out of 273.

Accreditation and Voting
Reports from TAFAfrica observers on the field indicate that accreditation and voting is ongoing on all the PUs. However, there are also reports of PWDs not participating in the elections due to long hours of waiting, as well as the unavailability of assistive devices.

Party Agents;
Observer data from the election observation platform showed all Polling Units reported the presence of at least one party agent. Out of 223 PUs, TAF Africa observers reported the presence of 0ne to 5 PWD Party agents in 95 PUs.

Conclusion
TAF Africa PWD Election Hub observers will continue to keep a close watch on the election up till when voting ends, and counting and collation of results begin. Further updates on findings will be provided at the end of the voting.

Signed:
Amb. Jake Epelle, Chair, TAF Africa PWD Election Hub

For Media Enquiries, contact:
Ndifreke Ferdinand
Coordinator, TAFAfrica PWD Election Hub (+2348146373363 | ndifreke@albinofoundation.org)

Inside the Joint EU Election Hub: How TAF Africa Tracked Ekiti’s Election in Real Time

Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State — 20 June 2026 Long before the polls closed, the story of Ekiti’s governorship election was already being written — not on ballot papers, but on screens. On the morning of 20 June 2026, the Afe Babalola Civic Centre in Ado-Ekiti became the nerve centre of TAF Africa’s election observation operation. Inside, the PWD Election Hub hummed with quiet urgency: coordinators, data analysts, communication officers, and technology support personnel worked side by side, watching a steady stream of real-time reports arrive from observers stationed across 150 polling units throughout the state. A Living Picture of Election Day Each report told a small piece of a much bigger story. Submitted through the TAF Disability Hub Application (available at https://electionhub.org.ng/), observer reports captured critical data points as they happened: polling unit accessibility, the availability of assistive devices, the conduct of election officials, voter turnout among persons with disabilities, incidents of discrimination, and the provision of priority voting services. Rather than waiting until the end of the day to understand what had happened, the Hub allowed TAF Africa to see the election as it unfolded — accessibility gaps, service breakdowns, and moments of good practice surfacing in near real time, not buried in a report written days later. More Than Data Collection — A Command Centre The Hub’s role went beyond gathering numbers. It also served as the coordination centre for the 25 sign language interpreters deployed to 24 polling units across the state, enabling real-time troubleshooting, emergency communication, and swift incident management whenever an interpreter or voter needed support. This dual function — data hub and operations centre — meant that when something went wrong on the ground, it didn’t have to wait to be noticed. It could be flagged, escalated, and addressed while the polls were still open. Capturing the Full Arc of the Day To build a complete, longitudinal picture of the electoral environment, observers were instructed to submit reports at three fixed points: the opening of polls, midday, and the close of polls. This structure allowed the Hub to track not just isolated incidents, but how accessibility and voter experience shifted as the day progressed — from the first ballots cast to the final tally. By the time voting ended, 150 observer reports had been received, processed, and entered into the observation database — a complete dataset spanning every deployed polling unit in the exercise. Turning Real-Time Data into Lasting Insight The PWD Election Hub is more than a control room for a single election day. It is a demonstration of what disability-inclusive election observation can look like when technology, coordination, and clear protocols work together: a system built not just to watch an election happen, but to make sure the experiences of persons with disabilities are documented, understood, and acted on — as they happen, not after the fact. As TAF Africa continues to refine this model, the Hub stands as a template for how future elections across Nigeria can be observed with greater speed, accuracy, and accountability. This operation was carried out by TAF Africa under efforts to strengthen inclusive, credible, and evidence-based election observation in Nigeria.

Breaking the Hearing Impairment Barrier: 25 Sign Language Interpreters Deployed to Support Deaf Voters in Ekiti

Ekiti State — June 2026 Governorship Election For deaf voters, an election is often a silent struggle before it is a civic right. Instructions are shouted across polling units. Procedures are explained once, quickly, in words that never reach them. For years, this communication gap has quietly excluded persons with hearing impairments from fully and independently exercising their right to vote. In Ekiti State, that gap narrowed. Building on the success of a similar deployment in Anambra State, TAF Africa trained and deployed 25 Sign Language Interpreters (SLIs) to polling units with a significant presence of deaf voters during the Ekiti State Governorship Election — a deliberate, targeted push to remove communication barriers and make the ballot box accessible to all. Preparing the Interpreters Before deployment, the interpreters took part in a one-day virtual training designed to prepare them for the realities of the election environment. The session covered electoral procedures, voter assistance protocols, ethical considerations, communication standards, and the specific roles and responsibilities of an SLI on election day — ensuring that support at the polling unit would be not just present, but professional, consistent, and rights-respecting. Finding the Voters Who Needed Them Good intentions only translate into impact when they reach the right people in the right places. To make sure they did, TAF Africa partnered with the Association of Sign Language Interpreters of Nigeria (ASLIN) and the Ekiti State Association of the Deaf to identify exactly where deaf voters were registered to vote. By cross-referencing INEC data with the deaf association’s own database, the team mapped registered deaf voters to specific polling units across selected Local Government Areas — turning a broad commitment to inclusion into a precise, data-driven deployment plan. On the Ground, on Election Day The 25 trained interpreters were deployed to polling units across six LGAs: Ado Ekiti, Ekiti West, Ikere, Ido/Osi, Ijero, and Oye. Of the 25 deployed, 23 successfully supported their assigned deaf voters and submitted deployment reports — a strong completion rate that speaks to both the quality of preparation and the commitment of the interpreters themselves. Their presence meant that electoral information, voting procedures, and voter education messages reached deaf voters clearly and directly — not filtered through guesswork or a well-meaning stranger’s improvised gestures, but communicated by trained professionals who understood both the language and the stakes. The Numbers Behind the Impact In total, 103 deaf voters received interpretation support across 24 polling units in the six participating LGAs. S/N LGA Polling Units SLIs Deployed Deaf Voters Reached 1 Ado Ekiti 15 14 47 2 Ekiti West 1 1 1 3 Ikere 2 2 5 4 Ido/Osi 1 1 2 5 Ijero 2 2 44 6 Oye 3 3 4 Total 24 23 103 Deaf voters reached with SLI support by LGA during the Ekiti State Governorship Election, 20 June 2026. A Precedent Worth Repeating Feedback from beneficiaries and stakeholders was consistent: the presence of trained sign language interpreters made a real difference in how deaf voters experienced the election — not as passive recipients of assistance, but as informed, independent participants in the democratic process. More than a single election-day intervention, the initiative sets an important precedent. It shows that with the right partnerships, the right data, and the right training, electoral inclusion for persons with hearing impairments is not an aspiration — it is achievable, replicable, and measurable. As TAF Africa continues to champion inclusive democratic participation, this deployment stands as evidence of what’s possible when accessibility is designed into the electoral process from the start, rather than added as an afterthought.

TAF Africa Trains 150 Election Observers Ahead of Ekiti Governorship Election

Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State — 17–18 June 2026 As dawn broke over Ekiti State, a diverse group of citizens began arriving at the training venue with a shared sense of purpose. Teachers, community advocates, youth leaders, disability rights champions, and civic-minded volunteers gathered for one reason: to safeguard the integrity of the electoral process. Within days, they would be deployed across polling units as election observers — the eyes and ears of democracy — tasked with documenting not only what happened on election day, but also whether every eligible voter, including persons with disabilities, was given an equal opportunity to participate. Recognizing that effective observation takes more than goodwill, TAF Africa convened a two-day training designed to turn this group into informed, objective, and technologically equipped monitors. By the end, they left not merely as observers, but as ambassadors of democratic inclusion. A Cornerstone of Inclusive Election Observation The training in Ekiti State served as a cornerstone of TAF Africa’s election observation strategy under the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN) Programme. Its focus: strengthening inclusive, credible, and evidence-based election observation ahead of the 2026 Ekiti State Governorship Election. The programme equipped participants with the knowledge, practical skills, and technological tools required for effective monitoring — with a deliberate emphasis on accessibility, inclusion, and the protection of voting rights for marginalized groups, particularly persons with disabilities (PWDs). While the original plan was to train 150 observers across two batches of 75, turnout told its own story of commitment: 48 observers attended on the first day and 102 on the second. In total, the training reached all 150 registered observers, building a strong network of prepared, informed monitors ready to support a transparent and inclusive electoral process. Setting the Tone The training opened with registration, prayers, and the national anthem, followed by a welcome session led by George Anwayi, Assistant Programme Manager of TAF Africa. He introduced participants to the workshop’s objectives and underscored the significance of their role in promoting electoral accountability and inclusion — stressing professionalism, neutrality, and integrity throughout. Participants also shared their own backgrounds and prior experience in election observation and civic engagement, helping build the collaborative learning environment that carried through the technical sessions to come. Putting Inclusion at the Center A key session, facilitated by Dr. Andrew Adaji, Programme Manager of TAF Africa, gave participants an overview of TAF Africa’s Election Inclusion Strategy under the EU-SDGN Programme. The session unpacked the barriers voters with disabilities routinely face and the interventions TAF Africa has implemented to improve accessibility, voter education, and participation. Participants were introduced to the disability-inclusive indicators that would guide their observation activities on election day — a reminder that credible election monitoring means paying close attention to accessibility measures at polling units and to the lived experiences of marginalized groups. Standards of Conduct and Staying Safe Another core component covered the role of election observers and the standards expected of them: impartiality, objectivity, confidentiality, and professionalism. Facilitators also addressed security awareness and personal safety, guiding observers on how to manage risk, avoid confrontation, and maintain clear communication with relevant authorities on election day. Scenario-based discussions helped participants understand both their responsibilities and the limits of their role as accredited observers. Technology in the Field: The TAF Disability Hub Application Facilitated by Kohol Iornav, TAF Africa’s Information Technology Officer, this session introduced participants to the TAF Disability Hub Application — a digital platform built to support real-time election observation and reporting. Observers learned to document incidents, upload reports, submit eyewitness accounts, and capture data through the platform. A live demonstration and hands-on practice gave participants confidence in using technology for accurate, timely reporting — a critical capability for the days ahead. Practicing with the Observers’ Checklist Dr. Andrew Adaji also led a practical session on the Election Observers’ Checklist, a key tool for gathering standardized, credible data. The checklist covers indicators such as polling unit accessibility, voter assistance, the conduct of election officials, security presence, availability of election materials, and the participation of persons with disabilities. Participants practiced applying the checklist to simulated election scenarios, learning to record observations objectively and steer clear of subjective interpretation. Learning Through Role-Play To bring the training to life, Jennifer Dafwat, Senior Communication Officer at TAF Africa, led group discussions and role-play exercises simulating common election-day situations — from interacting with election officials and reporting incidents, to observing accessibility challenges and engaging with voters with disabilities. These sessions encouraged teamwork and critical thinking, gave facilitators a chance to clear up misconceptions, and — according to participant feedback — stood out as among the most valuable parts of the entire training. Ready for Election Day The training closed with a reflection session and remarks from Dr. Andrew Adaji, as participants shared key lessons learned and voiced their readiness to take on their observation duties during the governorship election. Facilitators reinforced one central message: objective, timely, and credible reporting is what will strengthen democratic governance and electoral inclusion in Ekiti State. With 160 observers now trained and equipped, TAF Africa’s network stands ready to serve as the eyes and ears of democracy — and to make sure the voices and experiences of persons with disabilities are visible throughout Ekiti State’s electoral process.

EU SDGN Inclusivity Cluster Hosts Media Reflection Meeting With Media Executives, Regulators, and PWD Leadership on Media Inclusivity in Ekiti State

Media executives, regulators, development partners, and leaders in the community of persons with disabilities (PWDs) gathered in Ado-Ekiti on May 26, 2026 for a high-level reflection meeting on media inclusivity, aimed at strengthening inclusive media practices in the lead-up to the Ekiti State 2026 Governorship Election and Beyond. The meeting, convened by the EU SDGN Inclusivity Cluster, a partnership including TAF Africa, Nigerian Women’s Trust Fund (NWTF), International Press Centre (IPC), and Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO), created a platform for reviewing progress, identifying gaps, and charting actionable pathways for inclusive media engagement. A central focus of the meeting was the role of the media in ensuring equitable political participation. Through expert presentations and discussions, participants explored how media institutions can better amplify the voices and concerns of marginalised groups, particularly persons with disabilities, in electoral processes. Media Partners, Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO) and International Press Centre (IPC) led key session on Media Inclusivity and Democratic Participation in Electoral Processes while the participants also reviewed findings from the TAF Africa Media Political Inclusion Index Assessment, highlighting critical gaps in representation and accessibility across media platforms.

PRELIMINARY STATEMENT ON THE PWD PARTICIPATION AND THE CONDUCT OF THE FEBRUARY 25, 2023, GENERAL ELECTIONS IN NIGERIA

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Inside the Joint EU Election Hub: How TAF Africa Tracked Ekiti’s Election in Real Time

Breaking the Hearing Impairment Barrier: 25 Sign Language Interpreters Deployed to Support Deaf Voters in Ekiti

TAF Africa Trains 150 Election Observers Ahead of Ekiti Governorship Election

EU SDGN Inclusivity Cluster Hosts Media Reflection Meeting With Media Executives, Regulators, and PWD Leadership on Media Inclusivity in Ekiti State

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