The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the latest figures for registered voters ahead of the 2027 general elections in Nigeria. According to INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, the national register now stands at 110 million registered voters, covering the three phases of its voter registration exercise. This makes Nigeria Africa's largest democracy based on its voter population. The commission's data shows that Lagos, Kano, and Kaduna states have the highest numbers of registered voters.
Lagos leads the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory with 7,488,633 registered voters, followed by Kano with 6,570,276 voters, and Kaduna with 4,662,640 registered voters. Other states in the top 10 list include Katsina with 3,876,051 registered voters, Rivers with 3,736,434, Oyo with 3,588,111, and Delta with 3,525,988. Benue, Ogun, and Bauchi complete the list with 3,057,225, 3,037,981, and 3,012,547 registered voters, respectively.
The INEC chairman also provided a breakdown of the register by gender, showing that male voters constitute the larger share. He said 53,528,218 registered voters are male, representing 51.75 per cent of the register, while female voters number 49,900,497. This indicates a slight majority of male voters in the country's electoral register.
The age distribution of registered voters shows that those between 35 and 49 years form the largest age category, with 43,265,946 registered voters, representing 41.83 per cent of the total. Voters aged between 18 and 34 years make up the second-largest category, with 29,777,576 people, representing 28.79 per cent. The commission also reported that voters aged 50 to 69 years number 22,982,900, equivalent to 22.22 per cent of the register.
The INEC chairman further disclosed that the register contains 232,658 persons with disabilities spread across 10 disability categories, representing roughly 0.2 per cent of the voter register. This information is part of the commission's efforts to ensure inclusivity in the electoral process. The data provides insights into the demographics of Nigeria's registered voters.
The latest figures come as INEC continues preparations for the 2027 elections, following the conclusion of three phases of Continuous Voter Registration. The commission had generated 10,772,421 new registrations, subject to verification through the Automated Biometric Identification System. INEC is now focusing on the nationwide collection of Permanent Voter Cards by newly registered voters, starting October 9.
INEC is refining its technological systems as part of preparations for the election, including voter verification and result transmission processes, as well as the commission's Result Management Systems. The recently introduced eEC8A is part of the systems being refined by the commission ahead of the 2027 polls. These efforts aim to improve the efficiency and transparency of the electoral process.
Key points
- Lagos, Kano, and Kaduna have the highest numbers of registered voters.
- Nigeria has 110 million registered voters, making it Africa's largest democracy.
- The INEC is refining its technological systems ahead of the 2027 elections.
