The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of Nigeria has announced that the number of registered voters ahead of the 2027 general elections has exceeded 103 million. This update was provided by INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, during a strategic workshop with media executives in Abuja. The workshop, organized by the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) in collaboration with INEC, focused on strengthening democracy through partnerships among editors, civil society, and electoral institutions.
The Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, conducted in three phases, attracted 10,772,421 new registrants. The phases took place from August 25, 2025, to December 10, 2025, January 5, 2026, to April 17, 2026, and May 11, 2026, to July 26, 2026, registering 2,611,266, 4,121,835, and 3,867,997 voters, respectively. These numbers are subject to final verification through the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS).
INEC has completed the ABIS cleanup and scheduled a preliminary display of the register for claims and objections from October 9-15, 2026. The commission also introduced a printable PVC technology to reduce waiting periods for voters' cards and an Online Registration Portal to eliminate barriers of distance and time. A nationwide collection of Permanent Voters' Cards (PVCs) is set to commence on October 9, 2026.
To enhance the electoral process, INEC has acquired 57,000 new Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines and upgraded its technological infrastructure. The commission introduced an enhanced eEC8A form to digitize and authenticate polling-unit results before uploading them to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal. Additionally, INEC is deploying artificial intelligence-driven systems to detect anomalies in database traffic and strengthen cybersecurity.
INEC is working with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) to monitor campaign spending and prevent vote-buying and illegal campaign financing. A joint financial monitoring mechanism will track suspicious and illegal campaign expenditure.
The commission is also addressing the growing use of social media to circulate false information that could undermine elections. Amupitan urged editors and journalists to verify information before publication, warning that false reports could suppress voter turnout and delegitimize elections. He cited instances of old photographs and fabricated reports being circulated as current events.
Amupitan emphasized the importance of peaceful elections, warning against electoral violence and stating that no political ambition is worth the loss of Nigerian lives. INEC's early-warning mechanism is monitoring political violence, and the commission is strengthening its logistics and field operations. Readiness audits have been completed in the South-West and North-West geopolitical zones.
Key points
- Nigeria's registered voters have surpassed 103 million ahead of the 2027 general elections.
- INEC has introduced new technologies to enhance the electoral process, including printable PVCs and upgraded BVAS machines.
- The commission is working to prevent vote-buying and illegal campaign financing, and addressing the spread of false information on social media.
