Anti-graft tracking, 57,000 new BVAS devices, and nationwide PVC collection drive set to launch October 9 following biometric cleanup of 10.7 million new registrants.
ABUJA, Nigeria — The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced on Monday, October 5, 2026, that Nigeria’s National Register of Voters has surpassed 103 million ahead of the 2027 general elections. Speaking in Abuja during a strategic workshop organized for media executives in partnership with the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, confirmed that the expanded database follows the conclusion of the commission’s three-phase Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise and a comprehensive Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) cleanup.
The registration drive captured 10,772,421 new applicants nationwide, significantly expanding civic participation across urban centers and rural communities. Prof. Amupitan explained that the commission introduced an online registration portal and printable Permanent Voter Card (PVC) technology under Section 18(1) of the Electoral Act 2026 to streamline access and eliminate historic delays in card issuance, assuring that waiting months for a card has become a relic of the past.
Nationwide PVC collection is scheduled to begin on Friday, October 9, 2026, providing a critical window for newly registered voters across the South-East—including commercial hubs in Enugu, Aba, Onitsha, Owerri, and Abakaliki—to retrieve their cards ahead of electoral activities. Civil society organizations and regional political stakeholders in the South-East have already begun mobilizing grassroots networks to take advantage of localized collection centers and ensure maximum voter participation.
To safeguard technological integrity and curb voting irregularities, INEC has acquired 57,000 new Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices to replace obsolete hardware and bolster polling unit verification. Furthermore, the electoral chief disclosed that the commission is deploying a specialized joint financial monitoring team to track illegal campaign spending, clamp down on vote-buying, and enforce statutory spending limits as political parties prepare for primary contests.
Calling on editors and media organizations to drive civic enlightenment, Prof. Amupitan assured the public that the commission remains committed to ensuring no eligible Nigerian is disenfranchised, urging media platforms to clearly communicate PVC collection points and help counter online disinformation as the 2027 election cycle gathers momentum.
