2027: Voter registration closes amid concerns over access, credibility

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Sunday ended the nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, drawing mixed reactions from political parties, civil society groups and election stakeholders, who warned that technical glitches, security concerns and unresolved access challenges could undermine preparations for the 2027 general election.

The commission ruled out any extension of the exercise, insisting that the nationwide registration ended yesterday, despite appeals by opposition political parties and civil society organisations for more time.

It had urged eligible Nigerians who were yet to register to take advantage of the remaining hours before the registration window closed.

INEC also reminded prospective voters that they could complete the registration process online through its dedicated CVR portal or visit designated INEC offices and registration centres nationwide for physical registration.

The commission maintained that there would be no extension, stressing that the timeline is in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022, which requires voter registration, updates and revisions to the register to be suspended at least 90 days before an election to allow for data clean-up, production of Permanent Voter Cards and other logistical preparations.

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Meanwhile, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) differed over INEC’s decision to end the registration.

While the ADC faulted the closure, arguing that it should be a continuous process without deadlines, the SDP maintained that although INEC needed to suspend the exercise to prepare for the 2027 general election, registration itself should remain open.

The differing positions came amid growing concerns over whether the exercise succeeded in capturing the millions of eligible Nigerians expected to participate in the 2027 general election.

While INEC said millions of new voters had registered since the exercise commenced, election stakeholders argued that the figures still fall short of the country’s growing voting-age population, particularly first-time voters who turned 18 after the 2023 general election.

Across many states, the exercise was marred by operational challenges. In major cities, including Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt, prospective registrants complained of spending several hours at registration centres, with many returning repeatedly because of equipment failures, network disruptions or inadequate personnel.

Similar concerns were raised in rural communities, where limited registration centres and transportation costs discouraged many eligible voters from participating.
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