INEC Registers Over 1.5 Million New Voters in Seven Weeks

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that more than 1.5 million Nigerians have successfully completed their voter registration within the first seven weeks of the third phase of its Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise.

According to the latest data released by the commission on Tuesday, a total of 1,565,873 individuals have been added to the electoral roll as of June 26. This figure comprises 620,933 citizens who utilized the online pre-registration portal and 944,940 who completed the process through physical registration centers.

While these numbers represent a significant uptick in voter engagement, the commission noted that the statistics remain preliminary. Final validation is subject to a data clean-up process and the application of the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) to ensure the integrity of the voter register.

Demographic Highlights

The report provides a detailed breakdown of the new registrants:

Leading States: Kano recorded the highest participation with 118,207 registrants, followed by Lagos (78,360) and Delta (76,395).

Youth Participation: The exercise is heavily driven by younger Nigerians, with those aged 18 to 34 accounting for nearly 70% of the total new registrants.

Gender: Female participation slightly outweighed male, with women making up 52.45% of the total.

Occupational Trends: Students formed the largest group of new voters at 24.53%, followed by business owners and those in the agricultural sector.

Inclusivity: The registration period also saw 18,919 Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) sign up to participate in future polls.

The commission clarified that registration activities are currently suspended in Ekiti and Osun states to comply with the Electoral Act 2022, following the recent gubernatorial election in Ekiti and in preparation for the upcoming contest in Osun.

INEC continues to encourage all eligible citizens who have yet to register to visit the official online portal or any designated physical registration center across the country to ensure they are prepared to vote in future elections.