The Independent National Electoral Commission has published the certified voter register with over 95 million registered voters, the largest in Nigeria's democratic history.
The Independent National Electoral Commission has published the certified voter register with over 95 million registered voters, the largest in Nigeria's democratic history.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday released the final Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) data ahead of the 2027 general elections, confirming a total of 95.2 million registered voters across Nigeria's 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The figures represent a significant increase from the 93.4 million voters recorded in the 2023 general elections, driven largely by a surge in youth registrations. According to INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the commission recorded over 9.5 million new registrants between January 2024 and December 2025, with persons aged 18–35 accounting for 67% of new additions.
"This is a historic milestone for Nigerian democracy," Yakubu said at a press conference in Abuja. "We have the largest, most diverse voter pool in our nation's history, and our systems are being upgraded to match that scale."
The data shows Lagos State retaining its position as the state with the highest number of registered voters at 7.9 million, followed by Kano (5.3 million) and Rivers (4.1 million). The FCT recorded the highest percentage growth at 34%, attributed to the influx of young professionals into the capital.
Civil society organisations have largely welcomed the release. Yiaga Africa's Executive Director, Samson Itodo, described the figures as "a testament to growing democratic participation" but cautioned that registration numbers alone do not guarantee voter turnout.
"We saw in 2023 that high registration did not translate to proportional turnout," Itodo noted. "The commission and all stakeholders must now focus on civic education to ensure these registrants actually exercise their franchise."
INEC has also announced the deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) across all 176,846 polling units. The final register will be available for public inspection at INEC offices nationwide from May 15 to June 30, 2026.