Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced a capacity-building workshop for its Public Affairs Officers (PAOs) on archiving, cataloguing and documentation as part of efforts to strengthen institutional memory ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The workshop, held in Abuja under the theme: _“Preserving Institutional Memory Through Effective Archiving and Documentation_,” is a continuation of the capacity-building programme for PAOs, which began on Tuesday with a focus on strategic communication towards the 2027 elections.
In her welcome remarks, the Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Mrs. Victoria Eta-Messi, described archiving and documentation as critical components of the Commission’s work, noting that proper preservation of records would enable INEC to learn from previous electoral cycles and improve its processes.
Eta-Messi said the Graphic, Library and Documentation (GLD) Division, being the youngest division in the department, required strengthened capacity across the states to effectively perform its responsibilities.
She urged participants to take the training seriously and apply the knowledge gained when they return to their respective offices.
According to her, proper archiving would enable the Commission to preserve its processes and institutional knowledge “for posterity, for reference and for lesson learning.”
She noted that records from previous electoral cycles were sometimes left in boxes or poorly organised, making it difficult for the Commission to conduct comparative analysis and learn from past experiences.
She therefore urged the PAOs to support the department and the Commission in meeting its archiving and documentation responsibilities.
The Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr. Adedayo Oketola, also underscored the importance of the capacity-building exercise, particularly as the Commission prepares for the 2027 General Election.
Oketola adopted the remarks of the Director of Voter Education and Publicity and encouraged participants to make effective use of the training.
Speaking on the objectives of the workshop, the Deputy Director, Graphic, Library and Documentation (GLD), Mrs. Perpetua Obiageri Aligwara, said every election cycle generates decisions, procedures and lessons that are essential to the Commission’s continuity.
According to her, the Voter Education and Publicity Department considered structured archiving and documentation a core capacity-building priority as the Commission prepares for the 2027 General Elections.
Aligwara identified the loss of procedural knowledge, inconsistent application of guidelines across state and local offices, and difficulties in explaining the rationale behind previous decisions as some of the risks associated with poor records management.
She stressed the need for a central and secure archive for election guidelines, results documentation, litigation records, post-election reviews and other activities of the Commission, including written and pictorial records.
She said effective documentation would help safeguard consistency, transparency and public confidence across election cycles.
