Professor Joash Amupitan, Chairman of Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), says the commission cannot be truly independent without financial autonomy. Speaking on Thursday during the public presentation of “Shadows: Protest Essays on Africa’s Most Consequential Country (1999–2023),” authored by THISDAY Managing Director Eniola Bello, Amupitan argued that strengthening Nigeria’s electoral institutions and ensuring free, fair and credible elections depends on granting INEC control over its finances. Both reports describe his warning that continued reliance on external funding would undermine INEC’s ability to operate independently. The outlets present the remarks as part of a broader discussion on institutional strengthening ahead of the 2027 election cycle. No additional details on specific funding mechanisms or government actions are provided in the reports. The focus remains on Amupitan’s position that financial autonomy is a key requirement for INEC’s independence and for maintaining electoral credibility.