The European Union (EU) has dismissed reports claiming it declined an invitation to observe Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, describing the reports as inaccurate and based on “pure speculations”.
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In a statement issued in Abuja on Monday, the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS clarified that it has neither rejected the invitation from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) nor cited security concerns and alleged hostility towards its officials as reasons for staying away from the polls.
The clarification follows media reports suggesting that the EU had written to INEC declining participation in the electoral process because of Nigeria’s security challenges and the reaction that followed the publication of its report on the 2023 general election.
However, the EU said the reports misrepresented the contents of its correspondence with Nigeria’s electoral umpire.
“The EU Delegation confirms that it received a formal invitation (not a request) from the INEC, dated 17 April 2026, to deploy observers for the 2027 general elections,” the statement said.
According to the delegation, its response to INEC, dated July 28, 2026, informed the commission that the EU would deploy an Electoral Expert Mission (EEM) rather than a full Election Observation Mission.
The mission, it explained, will comprise between two and four independent experts who will be formally accredited as observers by INEC.
The EU noted that an Electoral Expert Mission performs a similar assessment role as an Election Observation Mission, evaluating whether elections are conducted in accordance with international, regional and national democratic commitments.
“As explained in the letter, 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 delegation stated.
It added that the experts would produce a final report containing recommendations aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s electoral framework and future electoral processes.
The delegation strongly refuted claims that insecurity and alleged hostile treatment of EU observers after the 2023 elections informed its decision.
“The two alleged reasons mentioned in the press reports do not appear in the letter: these are pure speculations,” the statement stressed.
The EU explained that decisions on electoral missions are made annually based on invitations received from partner countries, prevailing circumstances and available resources.
“The European Union decides every year on electoral missions to be sent to partner countries issuing invitations to the EU and, if the decision is positive, the kind of mission to be sent to each of them, depending on individual situations and available resources,” it said.
“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.”
The EU also moved to reassure stakeholders that the decision to deploy an Electoral Expert Mission would not affect its ongoing support for democratic development in Nigeria.
According to the delegation, its decision “does not affect in any way” the implementation of the EU-funded Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN) programme, which has been a major pillar of European assistance to Nigeria’s electoral and democratic institutions.
The programme seeks to strengthen electoral administration, political participation, media engagement, legislative reforms and civil society involvement in democratic processes.
The EU-SDGN Phase II programme, launched in 2022 with a budget of €39 million, was designed to support transparent, inclusive and credible elections and strengthen democratic institutions in Nigeria.
The latest clarification comes against the backdrop of debates that followed the EU Election Observation Mission’s assessment of Nigeria’s 2023 general elections.
In its final report released in June 2023, the EU mission identified shortcomings in electoral administration and legal frameworks and made 23 recommendations aimed at improving transparency, inclusiveness and accountability in future elections.
The mission said weaknesses in the conduct of the polls had affected public confidence in the electoral process and called for reforms in areas including election results management, appointment of INEC officials, media freedom, women’s political participation and electoral offences.
The report generated mixed reactions across Nigeria, with some political actors welcoming its recommendations while others criticised aspects of its findings.
The EU Delegation urged journalists and media organisations to verify information before publication, particularly on matters relating to official EU positions.
“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,” the statement said.
The statement was signed by Gautier Mignot, the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS.
INEC has already commenced preparations for the 2027 general elections, with international observation expected to remain a key component of efforts to enhance transparency, credibility and public confidence in the electoral process.