The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that Nigeria's national register of voters has surpassed 103 million names, ahead of the 2027 general election. This revelation was made by INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, at a Strategic Workshop for Editors organised by the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) in collaboration with INEC. The workshop, themed "Strengthening Democracy Through Partnership Among Editors, Civil Society and Electoral Institutions," took place in Abuja.
According to Amupitan, the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise was conducted in three phases, resulting in a total of 10,772,421 new registrations, subject to the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) verification. The first phase commenced on August 25, 2025, and ended on December 10, 2025, registering 2,611,266 voters. The second phase took place from January 5, 2026, to April 17, 2026, registering 4,121,835 voters.
The third phase of the CVR exercise, which commenced on May 11, 2026, and ended on July 26, 2026, registered 3,867,997 voters. During this phase, INEC introduced the Online Registration Portal technology to eliminate barriers of distance and time. Additionally, the Printable PVC technology was introduced to ensure that waiting months for a card becomes a relic of the past.
Amupitan announced that the nationwide collection of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) would commence on October 9, 2026. He disclosed that INEC had completed the processing and distribution of Phase 1 PVCs to all local government centres. The commission had also commenced early procurement and delivery of non-sensitive materials to state offices and distribution of new operational pick-up vehicles to states and local government areas.
To address the issue of late arrival of materials, INEC has taken proactive measures. Assessments of readiness had been completed in the South-west and North-west zones, with other zones to follow. Amupitan stated that early procurement and delivery of non-sensitive materials to State Offices had already commenced. Furthermore, brand-new operational pick-up vehicles have been procured and distributed to states and local government areas.
INEC has also acquired 57,000 new BVAS for optimal performance. The commission has collaborated with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) to deploy joint financial monitoring teams and conduct undercover surveillance at polling units.
The INEC chairman emphasized the importance of partnership among editors, civil society, and electoral institutions in strengthening democracy. With the national register of voters now over 103 million, INEC is set to ensure a seamless electoral process in the 2027 general election. The commission's efforts aim to enhance the credibility and transparency of the electoral process.
Key points
- The national register of voters in Nigeria has exceeded 103 million names.
- INEC has introduced new technologies, including the Online Registration Portal and Printable PVC technology.
- The nationwide collection of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) will commence on October 9, 2026.
