The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has provided clarification on the fee of N1,505,901,750 for Certified True Copies (CTCs) of the National Register of Voters and Polling Unit details. This clarification comes after a request was made by Messrs V.C. Ottaokpukpu and Associates. According to a statement issued by Victoria Eta-Messi, Director of Voter Education and Publicity at INEC, the amount represents the actual cost of document duplication and transcription, as stipulated by the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2011.
The request, received by INEC on October 8, sought CTCs of the national register of voters for all 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and existing polling units nationwide. INEC responded on October 13, granting approval and detailing the cost for processing and issuance. The quoted amount has since attracted media attention and public inquiry.
Section 8(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2011 allows public institutions to charge only the actual cost of document duplication and transcription when granting access to information. INEC’s Guidelines for Processing and Issuance of CTCs, authorized by Section 15 of the Electoral Act 2022, stipulate a charge of ₦250 per page. The National Register of Voters contains 93,469,008 registered voters, with 16 voters per page, requiring 6,018,661 pages. Additionally, printing details of 176,848 polling units across electoral wards nationwide will require 4,946 pages, bringing the total number of pages to 6,023,607. At ₦250 per page, the total cost amounts to ₦1,505,901,750.
Eta-Messi emphasized that the figure reflects only the actual cost of duplication and transcription, with no additional charges included. INEC remains committed to transparency, accountability, and prudent management of public resources. This clarification aims to address concerns and provide a clear understanding of the costs involved in obtaining CTCs of the National Register of Voters and Polling Unit details.
