Cyberattack Forces Indefinite Delay of NBA Presidential Election

Voting in the 2026 Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) national election has been postponed indefinitely after the Electoral Committee of the NBA (ECNBA) reported a cyberattack on its electronic voting platform.

According to the ECNBA, the attack occurred shortly before voting was scheduled to begin at 12:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 18, 2026. The committee described it as a deliberate, coordinated, and sustained cyberattack aimed at disrupting the electoral process.

In response, cybersecurity experts and the Election Voting Service Provider activated emergency measures to contain the breach, secure the system, and restore the platform. The committee stressed that voting has not yet commenced and no ballots have been accepted.

The ECNBA assured members that the election portal will only be reopened after technical experts confirm that it is fully secure, ensuring the credibility and integrity of the electoral process. However, no new date or time has been announced for the commencement of voting.

The committee also warned lawyers to avoid fake election links and rely solely on official ECNBA communication channels, noting that fraudulent messages could be part of the ongoing cyberattack.

Despite the disruption, election officials, candidates, agents, and independent observers remain at the monitoring centre as efforts continue to restore the platform. The ECNBA reaffirmed its commitment to conducting a free, transparent, and credible election once all security threats have been neutralized.