The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has revealed that while more than 4.4 million Nigerians have started their voter registration online, only about half a million have completed the process physically.
This update was contained in a statement released on Monday by Sam Olumekun, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee. The statement was issued in Abuja and covers the progress made in the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise as of Sunday, September 14.
According to INEC, a total of 4,445,505 Nigerians have pre-registered online since the CVR exercise resumed on August 18, 2025, across the country.
Of this number, 2,141,294 (48.17%) are male, while 2,304,211 (51.83%) are female. The majority of those registering are young people, with 2,924,643 (65.79%) aged between 18 and 34 years, and 1,112,344 (25.02%) identified as students.
Despite the encouraging online participation, the number of Nigerians who have completed the registration process by appearing physically at INEC centres remains low.
“As of Friday, September 12, the total number of completed registrations — combining online pre-registration and physical (in-person) registration — stands at 509,929,” Olumekun said.
Out of the completed registrations, 229,758 (45.06%) are male, while 280,171 (54.94%) are female. The youth still dominate in this category, with 378,132 (74.15%) aged between 18 and 34 years, and 196,529 (38.54%) being students.
INEC highlighted that the online registration alone does not qualify anyone to vote in upcoming elections. Registrants must complete their biometrics and other verification processes at designated INEC centres.
Mr. Olumekun explained that the Commission has published detailed breakdowns of the registration statistics — by state, gender, age, occupation, and disability — on its official website and social media platforms for public access.
“This is to ensure transparency and encourage more Nigerians to participate in the process,” he noted.
In the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), online pre-registration officially ended on Monday, September 15. INEC announced that physical registration will now proceed at designated centres across the FCT over the next two weeks.
Furthermore, from September 29 to October 8, INEC will decentralise the registration to all 62 wards in the FCT to make the process more accessible to residents.
Olumekun said the detailed addresses of these registration centres have already been uploaded to INEC’s website and social media handles.
The Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) is a regular exercise conducted by INEC to allow eligible Nigerians who have turned 18, changed location, or have never registered before, to register and obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
This round of registration, which began on August 18, 2025, is part of INEC’s preparation for the 2027 General Elections and other upcoming off-cycle polls in states like Edo and Ondo.
The CVR process involves two steps:
Online Pre-Registration: Nigerians fill out their personal details online via the INEC portal.
Physical Registration: Registrants must visit a designated INEC centre for biometric data capture and confirmation.
Failure to complete the physical step means the registration is not valid, and the individual will not be able to vote.
INEC has urged all Nigerians, especially young people who have shown significant interest through online registration, to follow through with the physical process.
“Registering online is just the first step. It is very important that citizens go to INEC offices or registration centres to complete the process. That is the only way to ensure they can vote in the next elections,” Olumekun stated.
The Commission has also appealed to political parties, civil society organisations, and community leaders to help mobilise people to complete their voter registration.
