The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced a significant surge in voter registration, with over 2.6 million Nigerians registered in just the first two weeks of its Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise. The online pre-registration, which began on August 18, 2025, accounted for more than 2.5 million entries nationwide, signaling strong civic engagement ahead of the 2027 elections.
INEC’s report highlighted a near-equal gender distribution among the registrants, with females slightly leading at 51.88 percent compared to 48.12 percent males. The data also revealed a youthful demographic predominance, with 63.29 percent of registrants aged between 18 and 34 years. Another notable segment includes students, who represent over a quarter of the total registrants, showcasing a growing political awareness among the younger generation.
To complement the online registration, INEC has facilitated in-person registration at its 811 offices nationwide, targeting individuals without internet access or those who prefer physical registration. Within the first five days of in-person registration that started on August 25, over 72,000 citizens completed or started their registration. This group also showed gender parity and youth dominance similar to the online statistics.
INEC emphasized that all online registrants must finalize the process in person for their registration to be valid, ensuring biometric data capture for electoral integrity. The Commission has expressed satisfaction with the high turnout and commended civil society organizations that have mobilized citizens for active participation.