INEC Resumes Nationwide Voter Registration for Second Phase

Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially restarted the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise across the country, marking the beginning of its second phase.

The commission’s Chairman, through his Chief Press Secretary Adedayo Oketola, confirmed the development to The Punch on Monday, stating simply, “It is true.”

This new phase follows the conclusion of the initial registration period, which ended on December 10, 2025. The process began last year with an online pre-registration portal launched on August 18, followed by physical registration at INEC centers starting August 25.

According to figures released by INEC in December, the first phase saw a significant public response. Nearly 9.9 million Nigerians began the process online, with over 2.5 million registrations fully completed as of late November. Of these completed registrations, approximately 1.5 million were finished online, while about 1.1 million were finalized in person.

INEC clarified that the break between phases was used to fulfill legal requirements. This included displaying the provisional voters’ register for “claims and objections” from December 15 to 21, 2025, at local government offices—a step mandated by the Electoral Act 2022.

The electoral body is calling on all eligible citizens who have not yet registered to use this opportunity to enroll. The resumption also allows existing voters to transfer their polling units or update their personal information.

Furthermore, INEC urges those who registered in the first phase to check their details on the register, report any inaccuracies, and object to the inclusion of any ineligible or deceased individuals.

However, the commission noted an exception to the nationwide resumption. CVR activities remain temporarily suspended in Anambra State and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) due to ongoing electoral processes. New dates for registration in these areas will be announced later.