Countdown Begins! INEC Reveals Official Deadline For Voter Registration

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise will last for one year and conclude on August 30, 2026.

This was disclosed in a statement issued on Monday by INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun.

According to the commission, the physical registration phase officially commenced nationwide on Monday across all 811 state and local government offices, following the launch of the online pre-registration portal on August 18, 2025.

Olumekun revealed that within just one week of opening the portal, 1,379,342 Nigerians had pre-registered online. Out of this number, 661,846 (47.96%) are male, while 717,856 (52.04%) are female. Young people aged 18–34 made up the majority, with 860,286 (62.37%). In terms of occupation, students accounted for 374,534 (27.15%), while 27,089 (1.96%) of registrants were persons with disabilities.

He explained that the physical registration would serve both those who prefer to register in person and those who had already started the process online but need to complete it at designated centres.

Olumekun urged eligible Nigerians to take advantage of the year-long exercise rather than wait until the deadline approaches, when registration centres usually become overcrowded with last-minute applicants.

The commission emphasized that the CVR is strictly for Nigerian citizens aged 18 and above who have not registered before, warning that multiple or duplicate registrations remain illegal.

INEC further clarified that the exercise would also cover inter-state and intra-state voter transfers, as well as replacement of lost or damaged voter cards.