The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that Nigeria’s National Register of Voters has risen to more than 103 million ahead of the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja at a strategic workshop for editors organised by the Nigerian Guild of Editors in collaboration with the commission.
Amupitan said the increase followed the conclusion of the three-phase Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, which produced 10,772,421 new registrations, and the completion of the final Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) cleanup.
“Following the conclusion of our three-phase Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, which captured over 10.6 million new applicants, and the completion of the public display of the preliminary register for claims and objections, our Voter Register Department has completed the final Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) cleanup. Nigeria’s National Register of Voters is now over 103 million,” he said.
The commission had earlier projected that the voters’ register would cross the 100 million mark following the completion of the CVR exercise.
Amupitan also announced that nationwide collection of Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) would commence on Friday, October 9, 2026. He said Phase One PVCs had been processed and distributed to local government collection centres ahead of the exercise.
He urged the media to provide citizens with accurate information on collection points and encourage registered voters to collect their cards promptly.
The INEC chairman also disclosed that the commission had acquired 57,000 new Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices ahead of the 2027 elections.
According to him, the devices had undergone software hardening, battery optimisation and biometric calibration as part of measures to strengthen accreditation and reduce the possibility of manipulation.
The upgrades are part of preparations for the presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January 16, 2027, and the governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections fixed for February 6, 2027. INEC’s official election calendar confirms the dates.
Amupitan said the commission was also strengthening its systems for managing election results, including the enhanced electronic EC8A process, which he said would support the digitisation, authentication and direct uploading of polling-unit results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal.
He identified effective and transparent result management as one of the key lessons from the challenges that followed the 2023 general elections.
According to him, INEC would ensure that results were declared promptly after the completion of the collation process to reduce uncertainty and misinformation.
On vote-buying, Amupitan said the commission was working with the Federal Ministry of Justice, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit to strengthen monitoring of campaign finances.
He said joint financial monitoring teams would track illegal campaign spending, while surveillance would be deployed at polling units.
The INEC chairman warned political parties, candidates and their agents against vote-buying, saying offenders would face arrest and prosecution under the Electoral Act 2026.
“Elections must be decided by the conviction of the voter, not the depth of a candidate’s pocket,” he said.
Amupitan also said INEC was targeting simultaneous commencement of voting across polling units nationwide, adding that lessons from recent off-cycle elections would be applied to improve logistics, personnel deployment and technology.
“I want to see a general election where voting starts in all the polling units in Nigeria at the same time. That is what we are targeting, where logistics is well-addressed, and where our technology works optimally,” he said.
He disclosed that the commission had commenced early procurement and distribution of non-sensitive election materials to state offices and had acquired operational vehicles for state and local government offices to improve the movement of personnel and materials.
INEC has also commenced nationwide readiness assessments, including physical audits and staff engagements, to identify operational vulnerabilities, test contingency arrangements and address potential bottlenecks before election day.
The chairman further disclosed that the commission had introduced printable PVC technology in line with the Electoral Act 2026, aimed at reducing delays and making it easier for eligible voters to obtain replacement cards where necessary.
He said the technology had been tested during the Osun governorship election, including for voters whose PVCs had been stolen before the poll.
Amupitan said INEC was 101 days away from the January 16 presidential and National Assembly elections and had completed eight of the 14 major statutory activities contained in its revised timetable.
He urged editors and journalists to prioritise verification and factual reporting ahead of the elections, warning that misinformation and sensational reporting could undermine public confidence in the electoral process.
“When newsrooms prioritise factual accuracy over sensational headlines, when reports contextualise field logistics rather than default to inflammatory speculation, and when information is verified before publication, you perform a sacred public service,” he said.
President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Eze Anaba, said media credibility was an important component of the credibility of the electoral process.
Anaba said the media, INEC, political parties, civil society organisations and citizens all had roles to play in ensuring credible elections.
He also expressed concern about situations in which courts ultimately determine electoral outcomes, saying stakeholders should work towards an electoral system where citizens’ votes determine the outcome of elections.
 has announced that Nigeria’s National Register of Voters has risen to more than){kind=link}