Nigeria’s National Register of Voters has surpassed 103 million, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disclosed, as preparations intensify for the 2027 general elections.
Prof. Joash Amupitan, INEC Chairman, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja while delivering a keynote address at a strategic workshop for editors organised by the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) in collaboration with the electoral commission.
Amupitan said the latest figure followed the completion of a three-phase Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise and a final cleanup of the voter register using the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS).
According to him, the three phases of the CVR exercise produced a combined 10,772,421 new registrations.
The first phase, conducted between August 25 and December 10, 2025, recorded 2,611,266 registrations.
The second phase, which ran from January 5 to April 17, 2026, added 4,121,835 registrations, while the third phase, held between May 11 and July 26, 2026, recorded 3,867,997 registrations.
The commission introduced an Online Registration Portal during the third phase, a move Amupitan said was designed to reduce the challenges associated with distance and time for prospective voters.
He also disclosed that INEC had introduced printable Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in accordance with Section 18(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, aimed at reducing the waiting period for voters to receive their cards.
The INEC chairman said the commission had completed the public display of the Preliminary Register for claims and objections as well as the final ABIS cleanup of the voter database.
“Following the conclusion of our three-phase Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise which captured over 10.6 million new applicants and the completion of the public display of the Preliminary Register for claims and objections, our Voter Register Department has completed the final Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) cleanup,” he said.
“Nigeria’s National Register of Voters is now more than 103 million,” Amupitan added.
The development represents another major stage in INEC’s preparations for the 2027 elections, with the commission continuing efforts to strengthen the integrity of the voter register and improve access to the electoral process.
Amupitan also assured Nigerians that the commission would continue to deploy technology and other measures to ensure that eligible voters are not disenfranchised.
He cited the recent Osun election, during which some Permanent Voter Cards were stolen, as an example of the commission’s efforts to provide alternatives for affected voters.
According to him, INEC printed replacement cards and deployed downloadable PVCs that enabled affected voters to participate in the election.
“We also implemented the downloadable PVCs, which the electorate used and cast their votes, just to ensure inclusivity and that nobody was disenfranchised,” he said.
With the voter register now exceeding 103 million, INEC said nationwide collection of PVCs will commence on October 9.
Amupitan disclosed that the commission had completed the processing and distribution of Phase 1 PVCs to all local government centres.
He urged media organisations to play an active role in informing citizens about where and how to collect their cards.
“We appeal to the Nigerian Guild of Editors and all media executives present to leverage your platforms to inform the public, explain collection locations and encourage the registered voters to collect their cards promptly,” he said.
The appeal places the media at the centre of INEC’s voter information campaign, particularly as millions of newly registered voters prepare to obtain their PVCs.
