Jigawa Leads Nigeria’s Voter Registration Surge

Jigawa State has recorded the highest number of new voter registrations in Nigeria’s ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, according to data released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

For Phase II, Week Six of the CVR, which concluded on February 13, 2026, a national total of 1,228,648 eligible Nigerians completed their registration. Jigawa accounted for 98,698 of these new registrants, representing 8.03 per cent of the national total—the largest share by any state in this phase.

The figures, published on INEC’s official social media platform, show Lagos State in second place with 86,307 registrants, followed by Sokoto (77,004) and Kano (71,990). The national total represents a significant increase from the 884,737 registrations recorded at the end of Week Five, indicating a surge in citizen engagement.

A breakdown of the registration methods shows that 673,124 applicants initiated the process online through the pre-registration portal, while 555,524 individuals concluded their registration in person at designated physical centres across the country.

Demographic data from INEC reveals that young people aged 18 to 34 constitute the largest cohort, with 848,066 registrations, equivalent to 69.02 per cent of the total. Female registrants numbered 696,891 (57 per cent), compared to 531,757 male registrants (43 per cent). Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) accounted for 19,414 of the new registrations.

This phase of the CVR is part of preparations for Nigeria’s next general elections, with the high participation from states like Jigawa and the dominant youth engagement highlighting ongoing efforts to expand the electoral roll. The continued rise in weekly totals suggests growing public responsiveness to the extended registration window.