The European Union (EU) Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS has confirmed that it will deploy an Electoral Expert Mission (EEM) for Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, dismissing reports that it had rejected an invitation from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to observe the polls.
The EU said the reports, which circulated on Monday, inaccurately claimed that the bloc had declined INEC’s invitation because of the worsening security situation in Nigeria and alleged hostile treatment of its observers and officials following the release of its final report on the 2023 general elections.
In a statement issued in Abuja by Gautier Mignot, EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, the delegation said it was ‘surprised’ by the reports, describing the alleged reasons attributed to the EU as speculation.
The delegation clarified that INEC formally invited the EU to deploy observers for the 2027 elections in a letter dated April 17, 2026.
According to the EU, it responded to the invitation on July 28, 2026, thanking the electoral commission and informing it that the bloc would deploy an Electoral Expert Mission comprising between two and four independent experts.
The experts, it said, would be formally accredited as observers by INEC.
The EU explained that an Electoral Expert Mission, like a conventional Electoral Observation Mission, assesses whether an electoral process is conducted in accordance with international, regional and national obligations and commitments on democratic elections to which the country is a signatory.
The mission will also produce a final report containing recommendations on how Nigeria can improve its electoral framework and future electoral processes.
The EU said the report would be shared with the Nigerian government and could subsequently be made available to the wider public if the government agreed to its release.
‘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.
‘In its response dated 28 July 2026, this Delegation thanked the INEC for its kind invitation and informed that the EU will field an Electoral Expert Mission (EEM), composed of two to four independent experts, who will formally be accredited as observers with the INEC’, Mignot said.
The EU Ambassador specifically rejected reports that the bloc had cited Nigeria’s deteriorating security situation and alleged hostility towards its officials after the 2023 election report as reasons for declining an invitation.
Mignot said neither of the alleged reasons appeared in the EU’s July 28 response to INEC.
‘The EU Delegation further underlines that the two alleged reasons mentioned in the press reports do not appear in the letter: these are pure speculations,’ he said.
He explained that the EU makes annual decisions on electoral missions to partner countries that invite it to observe elections, with the nature and scale of each mission determined by the circumstances in the individual country and the resources available.
‘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 statement said.
The EU’s clarification comes as preparations intensify for Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, with electoral stakeholders expected to step up consultations on the conduct, monitoring and credibility of the polls.
The delegation also stressed that its decision to deploy a smaller Electoral Expert Mission should not be interpreted as a withdrawal of EU support for Nigeria’s democratic and electoral processes.
According to Mignot, the decision would not affect the continued implementation of the EU-funded Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria project.
The project, he said, would continue, including its component focused on supporting Nigeria’s electoral process.
The EU has historically deployed election observation missions to Nigeria, including during the 2023 general elections, with its assessments and recommendations attracting significant attention from political parties, civil society organisations and electoral stakeholders.
The EU said the EEM would assess the electoral process against Nigeria’s obligations and commitments while providing recommendations aimed at strengthening future elections.
The delegation also appealed to Nigerian media organisations to verify reports concerning EU positions directly with its press and communication office before publication.
Mignot said the clarification was necessary to prevent inaccurate information about the bloc’s position on Nigeria’s 2027 elections from gaining traction.
‘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,’ he said.
The mission’s implementation, according to the EU, will be subject to further consultations with the relevant Nigerian authorities.