INEC Stands Firm on Voter Registration Deadline Despite Opposition Calls for Extension
Electoral Body Says Registration Must Close to Allow for Data Processing
Abuja, Nigeria — The Independent National Electoral Commission has confirmed that the Continuous Voter Registration exercise will conclude today (Sunday), rejecting appeals from opposition parties and civil society organizations to extend the deadline amid fears that millions of eligible Nigerians may be unable to participate in the 2027 general elections.
According to reports, opposition parties and civil society groups have urged the commission to prolong the registration period to accommodate more qualified citizens. INEC, however, has encouraged those who have not yet registered to utilize the remaining hours before the registration window shuts.
In a statement posted on its official X account on Saturday, the commission announced that the exercise would end today, July 26, with designated registration centers operating from 9am to 3pm.
“The Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise ends Sunday, 26 July 2026,” the commission declared.
INEC further reminded prospective voters that they could complete registration through the online CVR portal or visit INEC offices and registration centers nationwide for in-person assistance.
Legal Framework Dictates Registration Timeline
Under the current Electoral Act, INEC is mandated to halt voter registration, updates, and revisions of the voters’ register 90 days before an election to facilitate data cleanup, Permanent Voter Card printing, and other logistical arrangements.
The legislation also requires the commission to display the voters’ register for claims and objections during this period, allowing citizens to challenge omissions or errors and ensuring the final register’s credibility.
No Extension Planned, Says INEC Official
Mohammed Haruna, INEC National Commissioner, told reporters that the commission would not extend the deadline, emphasizing that closing registration was necessary to begin processing the collected data.
“By midnight on Sunday, voter registration ends. There won’t be any extension. There are so many things that we need to do at the back end. We have to draw a line; otherwise, we won’t be able to produce a clean copy of what has been posted,” he explained.
Haruna noted that INEC’s Information Technology team and Voter Registration Department would immediately begin processing data after registration closes. The commission will utilize its Automated Biometric Identification System to detect and remove duplicate registrations before publishing the provisional voters’ register for public review.
“The final number of newly registered voters will only be known after the biometric verification and the claims and objections process,” Haruna added.
He stated that this figure would then be added to the existing voter population of approximately 93 million to form the complete register for the 2027 elections.
Registration Figures Show Strong Participation
INEC data indicates that 2,970,257 eligible Nigerians completed registration during Phase III, Week Nine of the CVR exercise, encompassing both online and physical registrations as of July 17, 2026.
The registration process has been suspended in Osun State due to the upcoming governorship election, in accordance with Section 9(6) of the Electoral Act 2022.
The figures remain preliminary and subject to verification during the claims and objections period, when the biometric system will identify and eliminate multiple registrations.
Demographic Breakdown:
· Online registrations: 970,865 (33.79%)
· Physical registrations: 2,000,092 (66.21%)
· Female registrants: 1,561,765 (52.57%)
· Male registrants: 1,409,192 (47.43%)
Age Distribution:
· 18-34 years: 2,003,183 (67.43%)
· 35-49 years: 645,651
· 50-69 years: 294,443
· 70 years and above: 27,680 (0.93%)
Occupational Categories:
· Students: 695,026 (23.39%)
· Business owners: 626,523 (21.09%)
· Farmers and fishermen: 505,402 (17.01%)
· Housewives: 480,682 (16.18%)
· Artisans: 152,184
· Traders: 133,834
· Civil servants: 74,507
· Public servants: 47,778
The commission also registered 32,361 persons living with disabilities.
Regional Registration Numbers:
Kano State recorded the highest registrations with 234,305, followed by Lagos with 140,546 and Edo with 139,313. Other significant figures included Delta (132,330), Taraba (113,409), Ebonyi (111,344), Sokoto (109,076), and Ogun (96,571).
The North-West geopolitical zone recorded the highest number of registrations among the six zones.
Opposition Parties Criticize Early Closure
The African Democratic Congress expressed opposition to the registration timeline, arguing that Nigerians should have unrestricted access to the registration process.
“We have also mobilized people across the country to INEC to register, but you know it is not easy for people to abandon their daily work to go and queue for hours at INEC offices for registration,” said ADC National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi.
The PDP faction led by Taminu Turaki also called for an extension, with National Publicity Secretary Ini Ememobong noting that many citizens remain reluctant to register due to declining confidence in INEC’s ability to conduct credible elections.
“Nigerians are discouraged, and this is putting them off registering. Unless INEC clearly demonstrates that it is impartial and capable of conducting credible elections, it will continue to have a negative impact on participation,” Ememobong stated.
Labour Party National Publicity Secretary Obiora Ifoh questioned the rationale behind closing registration, emphasizing that the exercise should remain open to accommodate eligible Nigerians, including those who will reach voting age before the elections.
“The name of the exercise is Continuous Voter Registration, and we should start with the name and allow people who have an interest in participating in the election to register,” Ifoh said.
Civil Society Organizations Weigh In
Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, President of Women Arise for Change Initiative, suggested that INEC consider extending registration given the six-month window before the 2027 elections.
“Given that there are six clear months before the general elections, there may be a need to relax the closure of voter registration for some more weeks,” she stated, adding that any extension should focus on deepening democratic participation rather than responding to political party pressure.
Olasupo Abideen, Chairman of the BallotEyes Working Group, described the closure as premature, arguing that “when we say something is continuous, it should be continuous voter registration.”
Emmanuel Olowu, Executive Director of the Socio-Economic and Civic Rights Advocacy, questioned the legal basis for INEC’s decision, noting that Section 9(5) of the Electoral Act 2022 allows registration to continue until 90 days before an election.
“If the law allows registration to continue until no later than 90 days before the election, why has INEC ended the exercise about 180 days before polling?” Olowu asked.
Ruling Party Supports INEC’s Position
The All Progressives Congress backed INEC’s decision, with National Vice Chairman (South-East) Dr. Ijeomah Arodiogbu stating that the commission requires a registration deadline to adequately plan for elections.
“Talking about an extension; we are willing to indulge the other political parties because they would otherwise complain that INEC is biased against them,” Arodiogbu said.
Election Observers Defend Timetable
Samson Itodo, Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, defended INEC’s adherence to the electoral timetable, emphasizing that “the commission requires sufficient time to clean the register, adjudicate claims and objections, remove duplicates, print voter registers and complete other pre-election preparations.”
While acknowledging that the closure might disappoint some prospective voters, Itodo stressed that “certainty and adherence to the electoral timetable are essential for effective election planning.”
He suggested that any extension should only be considered if it would not disrupt the election timetable or compromise the register’s integrity.
INEC Responds to Concerns
INEC Chief Press Secretary Dayo Oketola stated that the decision to end the CVR exercise aligns with constitutional and legal provisions and is necessary to prepare for the 2027 general elections.
He dismissed concerns about disenfranchisement, noting that the exercise had already been extended to provide ample registration opportunities. Oketola also emphasized that the commission conducted extensive nationwide voter education and awareness campaigns.
Regarding the registration portal’s capacity, he confirmed that the system was designed to handle the volume of applicants throughout the exercise.
