Nigeria's Voter Register Hits 103 Million Ahead of 2027 Elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced on October 5, 2026, that Nigeria's National Register of Voters has grown to over 103 million eligible citizens. This increase follows a three-phase Continuous Voter Registration exercise that added more than 10.7 million new registrants and a subsequent biometric cleanup of the database.

INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan stated that the commission will begin the nationwide collection of Permanent Voter Cards on October 9, 2026. To streamline the process, the commission introduced printable PVC technology for faster issuance and replacements. To secure the vote, INEC acquired 57,000 new Bimodal Voter Accreditation System devices and is implementing artificial intelligence to identify database anomalies.

To combat electoral malpractice, the commission formed a coalition with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit to monitor illegal campaign spending. Amupitan emphasized that elections should be decided by voter conviction rather than financial influence.

The presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, with governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections following on February 6, 2027.