The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of Nigeria has announced that over 1.3 million citizens participated in its online pre-registration for the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) within the first week. According to Sam Olumekun, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, a total of 1,379,342 Nigerians registered nationwide between August 18 and August 24.
The online pre-registration exercise, which commenced on August 18, provides an opportunity for eligible voters to register for the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) ahead of future elections. The first weekly update of the exercise reveals that Osun State has the highest number of pre-registrations with 393,823, followed by Lagos State with 222,205, while Ebonyi State has the lowest with 261.
A breakdown of the registrants shows that 661,846 (47.96%) are males, and 717,856 (52.04%) are females. Young people between the ages of 18 and 34 constitute the majority of the registrants, with 860,286 (62.37%) signing up. In terms of occupation, 374,534 (27.15%) are students, and 27,089 (1.96%) are persons with disabilities.
INEC has published the full details of the registration on its website and other official platforms for public information. The commission has reminded Nigerians that physical registration has commenced in 811 state and local government offices nationwide, allowing eligible registrants to complete their registration. The exercise is only open to Nigerian citizens who are at least 18 years old and were not previously registered voters.
The commission has also clarified that inter-state and intra-state transfers of voters, as well as replacement of lost or damaged voter cards, are allowed during the CVR. The exercise is scheduled to continue for one year, until August 30, 2026. INEC has urged intending registrants not to wait until the deadline, citing past experiences where registration centers are often inundated with last-minute applications. The commission’s objective is to ensure a smooth and efficient registration process, and citizens are encouraged to take advantage of the opportunity to register and participate in the democratic process.
