The Role of New Electoral Technologies in Influencing Voter Turnout During Nigeria's 2023 Presidential Election

Abstract

This study is concerned with the role of new electoral technologies in Nigeria's 2023 presidential election, which had a notable but complex influence on voter turnout. The paper adopts a qualitative methodology, relying on secondary data, and examines how innovations such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) aimed to enhance the credibility, transparency, and efficiency of the electoral process. BVAS improved voter authentication by reducing incidences of fraud like double voting, while IReV enhanced transparency by providing real-time results, thereby fostering public trust in election integrity. Despite these technological advances, voter turnout was remarkably low at approximately 26.7%, the lowest since Nigeria’s 1999 return to democracy. This suggests that technology alone could not overcome broader socio-political challenges impacting voter participation. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) provides a suitable theoretical framework for this study. TAM emphasizes the role of perceived usefulness and ease of use in technology adoption and can be adapted to understand voters’ acceptance of electoral technologies within the context of political trust and electoral participation. Three key findings emanated from this study, these are that, BVAS facilitated efficient and credible voter accreditation, thus reducing procedural irregularities; IReV's provision of real-time election data increased transparency but did not translate directly into higher voter turnout. Persistent distrust in the electoral body (INEC), political apathy, security concerns, and socioeconomic factors remain significant barriers to voter participation. Recommendations include: Implementation of a comprehensive voter education campaign focusing on the benefits and reliability of new electoral technologies to foster acceptance, address political and institutional distrust through reforms and enhanced civic engagement to complement technological measures and Improvement in technological infrastructure and technical support to minimize operational glitches on Election Day.