The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced plans to strengthen its partnership with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) by using the National Identification Number (NIN) to verify the identities of voters and eliminate duplicate voter registrations ahead of future elections.
The move is expected to improve the credibility of Nigeria’s voter register and make the registration process more secure and efficient.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed the plan on Wednesday while receiving the Director-General of NIMC, Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, and her management team during a courtesy visit to the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
According to Amupitan, the renewed collaboration between the two agencies follows the signing of the National Identity Management Commission Act, 2026, which provides a stronger legal framework for the management and use of Nigeria’s national identity database.
He explained that INEC’s newly introduced online Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) platform already requires applicants to provide their National Identification Number for identity verification. He said deeper integration with NIMC’s database would further strengthen the electoral process by ensuring that only eligible citizens are registered and that duplicate records are removed.
“The Commission sees enormous opportunities for collaboration with NIMC, particularly in voter registration, data verification and the elimination of duplicate voter records,” Amupitan said.
He noted that the partnership would also simplify voter registration by allowing faster identity verification while reducing cases of multiple registrations by the same individual.
Over the years, duplicate registrations have remained one of the challenges facing Nigeria’s electoral system. Although INEC has introduced the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) to detect multiple registrations through fingerprints and facial recognition, the commission believes that adding NIN verification will provide another layer of protection against electoral fraud.
The introduction of an online Continuous Voter Registration system is also part of INEC’s efforts to modernise voter registration. The platform allows eligible Nigerians to begin their registration online before completing the process at designated INEC centres, reducing overcrowding and making registration more convenient.
By linking the registration process with the national identity database, INEC hopes to speed up verification and improve the accuracy of voter records across the country.
The National Identification Number has become an important means of identity verification in Nigeria. It is now required for several government services, including passport applications, tax-related services, banking, telecommunications, social intervention programmes and other public services.
Successive administrations have encouraged Nigerians to enrol for the NIN as part of efforts to establish a reliable national identity system and improve service delivery.
The collaboration between INEC and NIMC is expected to further expand the use of the national identity database in public administration while supporting efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
For INEC, maintaining a clean and credible voter register remains one of the key foundations of free and fair elections. A reliable register helps ensure that every eligible voter has one valid record and reduces opportunities for electoral malpractice.
Public confidence in election outcomes often depends on the integrity of the voter register, making accurate identity verification a major priority for the electoral body.
The visit by the NIMC management team also highlighted the growing cooperation between federal agencies in the use of digital technology and data management to improve public services.
Although details of the full integration process were not disclosed, both agencies are expected to continue working on technical arrangements that will allow secure and efficient verification of voter information while protecting the privacy of citizens.
The development comes as preparations continue for future elections across the country. INEC has in recent years introduced several technology-driven reforms, including the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), electronic transmission of election results in many elections, and online voter registration, all aimed at improving transparency and reducing electoral fraud.