Nigeria's voter register hits 103 million ahead of 2027 elections

INEC has released the complete voter register showing 103 million registered voters ahead of Nigeria's 2027 general elections. Lagos State leads with 7.5 million registered voters, followed by Kano and Kaduna, with the register now open for public scrutiny.

Quick Facts

National Register of Voters completed and verified
Top 10 states by registered voters announced
Three-phase Continuous Voter Registration exercise concluded
Biometric verification and cleanup completed
Register to be displayed for public scrutiny

Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that the National Register of Voters has reached 103 million registered voters following the completion of a three-phase Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise and biometric verification process. INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan disclosed the figures at a World Press Conference and stakeholders meeting in Abuja on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, noting that the 103 million voters makes Nigeria the largest democracy in Africa.

Lagos State leads with 7,488,633 registered voters, followed by Kano State with 6,570,276 and Kaduna State with 4,662,640. The top 10 states by registered voters are completed by Katsina (3,876,051), Rivers (3,736,434), Oyo (3,588,111), Delta (3,525,988), Benue (3,057,225), Ogun (3,037,981), and Bauchi (3,012,547). At the lower end, Ekiti State has the fewest registered voters with 1,055,708, followed by Bayelsa (1,200,691) and the Federal Capital Territory (1,732,043).

Demographic data reveals that male voters account for 53,528,218 (51.75 percent) and female voters for 49,900,497 (48.25 percent). The age 35-49 group forms the largest cohort with 43,265,946 voters (41.83 percent), followed by ages 18-34 with 29,777,576 voters (28.79 percent). Voters aged 50-69 comprise 22,982,900 (22.22 percent), while those 70 and above represent 7,402,291 (7.16 percent). The register also includes 232,658 persons with disabilities across 10 categories, representing approximately 0.23 percent of the total.

The three-phase CVR exercise recorded 10,772,421 new registrations before final biometric cleanup. In preparation for the 2027 general elections, INEC has scheduled the nationwide display of the voters' register for public scrutiny from October 9-16, 2026, allowing Nigerians to raise objections or claims. Distribution of newly issued Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) is set to begin on October 9, 2026. INEC has also procured 57,000 new voter verification machines and announced enhanced digital systems for result transmission to strengthen election integrity.

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Politics World

#INEC #democratic participation #voter register #electoral commission #2027 elections #Nigeria elections #registered voters #Lagos State #voter registration

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Why This Matters

Nigeria's voter register completion affects 103 million eligible participants in the 2027 general elections. The verifiable stakes include: INEC's administrative capacity to conduct biometric verification and manage Permanent Voter Card (PVC) distribution starting October 9, 2026; a scheduled 8-day public scrutiny window (October 9–16, 2026) for voter objections and claims; procurement of 57,000 new voter verification machines; and new digital result transmission systems. These operational milestones directly determine electoral readiness and logistical capacity ahead of presidential and legislative elections in 2027.

Timeline & Sources

Oct 6, 2026

Wire

INEC announces completion of voter register with 103 million registered voters at press conference in Abuja

Oct 9, 2026

Wire

Jan 1, 2027

Wire

General elections (presidential and legislative)

Feb 6, 2027

Wire

Gubernatorial elections scheduled (per BBC source)

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