The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that Nigeria's national register of voters has surpassed 103 million, setting the stage for one of the country's largest electorates ahead of the 2027 general elections. This increase follows the conclusion of the commission's three-phase Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, the public display of the preliminary register for claims and objections, and a final biometric cleanup using the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS).
The CVR exercise produced 10,772,421 new registrations, which were subjected to biometric verification and other validation processes. INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed this information at a one-day strategic workshop for editors organised by the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) in collaboration with the commission in Abuja. The latest figure represents a major increase from the more than 93 million voters previously recorded by the commission.
With the voter register now above 103 million, the commission has shifted attention to ensuring that eligible voters obtain the necessary documents to participate in the elections. Nationwide collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) will commence on Friday, October 9, 2026. The commission has completed the processing and distribution of Phase 1 PVCs to all local government centres ahead of the commencement of collection.
INEC has introduced technology to make voter registration and access to voter cards easier, including an online registration portal deployed during the third phase of the CVR exercise. The measure is designed to reduce the barriers associated with distance and time. The commission has also introduced printable PVC technology in accordance with Section 18(1) of the Electoral Act 2026.
As part of preparations for the 2027 elections, INEC has acquired 57,000 new Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices. The devices have undergone software hardening, battery optimisation, and biometric calibration to strengthen accreditation and prevent manipulation. The commission has also introduced hardware, software, and cybersecurity enhancements across its technological architecture.
INEC is determined to prevent accreditation bypass and eliminate manual manipulation during voting. The commission is enhancing the electronic EC8A system, which is expected to enable polling-unit result sheets to be digitised, cryptographically authenticated, and uploaded directly to the INEC Result Viewing Portal. Effective and transparent management of election results remains one of the major lessons drawn from the challenges that followed the 2023 general elections.
The commission's approach will allow citizens to follow the process more closely and reduce the space for suspicion, misinformation, and manipulation. INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, warned politicians against buying votes, saying the commission, in partnership with the Justice Ministry, EFCC, ICPC, and NFIU, will deploy financial monitoring teams and undercover surveillance nationwide.
Key points
- The voter register has surpassed 103 million ahead of the 2027 general elections.
- PVC collection is set to begin on Friday, October 9.
- INEC has acquired 57,000 new BVAS devices to strengthen accreditation and prevent manipulation.
