The Independent National Electoral Commission on Sunday concluded its nationwide Continuous Voter Registration exercise ahead of the 2027 general election, assuring eligible voters that every valid vote will count. The electoral body had fixed July 26, 2026, as the deadline for the registration drive, which allowed citizens to perform fresh voter registrations, transfers of registration, corrections of personal details, and replacement of lost or damaged Permanent Voter Cards.
In a final reminder issued on Sunday, the commission called on eligible Nigerians to complete their registration before the close of the exercise. The commission stated, “Time is running out, but there’s still an opportunity to make your vote count. Register to vote or update your voter information before the close of the Continuous Voter Registration today,”. The exercise had previously been extended by two weeks to enable more eligible citizens to register.
The registration drive commenced with online pre-registration in August 2025, followed by physical registration later that month. According to statistics released by the commission, the first phase ended in December 2025 with 2,572,054 completed registrations, comprising 1,503,832 online registrations and 1,068,222 physical registrations. The second phase, which ran from January 5 to April 17, 2026, added 3,748,704 new registrations nationwide before the third and final phase concluded on Sunday.
Speaking during a courtesy visit to a former Head of State and Chairman of the National Peace Committee, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.), in Minna, Niger State, the Chairman of the commission, Prof. Joash Amupitan, assured the public of credible elections. Amupitan stated, “Our determination is to see ordinary Nigerians go out and vote with confidence that their votes will be counted and reflected in the outcome of elections,”. In his response, Abubakar urged Nigerians to support the commission, noting that sustained public confidence remains vital to sustaining democracy.
Reacting to the conclusion of the exercise, civil society stakeholders called on the commission to establish a permanent voter registration framework rather than relying on periodic exercises. The President of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, Comrade Yinka Folarin, noted that while political parties and electoral officials made appreciable mobilization efforts, citizen participation was hampered by those who wait until election periods to seek registration.
Folarin stated, “So I feel, to an extent, I want participation partly on the attitude of some citizens, saying many people wait until election periods before attempting to the time of the election, they need not get the necessary documents that should enable them to participate, which is not a good attitude.” He added, “In my own opinion, I feel that there has been more announcement, engagement and encouragement of the people to get themselves to participate in the forthcoming election. The political parties also have been trying to encourage their members and members of the public to do this,”.
Folarin further remarked, “It’s supposed to be a compelling exercise for them to get their Permanent Voter Card and participate in the election. So I feel, to an extent, I want to give it to INEC and the political parties also,”. Proposing inter-agency collaboration, he stated, “We can make it a continuous thing. Also, beyond having it periodically, I feel if INEC can link up with NIMC and the National Population Commission to have records of the people and share data, it will help in producing the cards and making them available for eligible voters,” while also supporting an extension of the registration exercise.
Similarly, Professor Murtala Muhammad of Northwest University, Kano, stressed that while an increase in registration numbers is “a positive indicator of democratic expansion,” electoral legitimacy depends on more than registration figures. Muhammad stated, “Registration figures alone should not be mistaken for effective inclusion,” noting that structural barriers such as insecurity, poor internet access, and inadequate voter education continue to affect rural communities, women, persons with disabilities, internally displaced persons, and young first-time voters.
Citing examples from India and Indonesia, Muhammad recommended partnering with local leaders, religious bodies, and civil society groups to strengthen mobilization. He expressed confidence in the capacity and technological innovations of the commission, including the Result Viewing Portal, to manage a voter population approaching 100 million, adding that success will require early planning, staff training, adequate funding, cybersecurity, and security collaboration.
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