INEC Closes Voter Registration Portal Today: Key Things Every Nigerian Should Know

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise will end today, urging eligible Nigerians to complete their registration or update their voter information before the deadline.

In a post on X, INEC reminded prospective voters that the exercise covers new voter registration, transfer of voter registration, correction of personal details, and replacement of lost or damaged Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

“Time is running out, but there’s still an opportunity to make your voice count,” INEC said.

“Register to vote or update your voter information before the close of Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) today, Sunday, 26 July 2026.”

Things You Need To Know As Registration Ends Today

1. The commission advised eligible Nigerians to complete their registration through its online CVR portal or visit any of its state or local government offices before the exercise closes, stressing that participation in the exercise is mandatory for those intending to vote in next year’s general election.

2. INEC had in July extended the nationwide voter registration exercise by two weeks to allow more eligible Nigerians to register ahead of the 2027 polls.

3. The electoral commission started the first phase of the CVR in August 2025 with online pre-registration, followed by physical registration later that month. By the end of the phase in December, it had recorded 2,572,054 completed registrations, comprising 1,503,832 online registrations and 1,068,222 in-person registrations.

The second phase ran from January 5 to April 17, during which 3,748,704 additional registrations were completed nationwide, while the third phase commenced in May before concluding on Sunday.

INEC Speaks on Extension

INEC National Commissioner, Mohammed Haruna, in an interview with Sunday PUNCH, said that the commission would not extend the deadline, stressing that the registration exercise had to close to allow the electoral body to begin cleaning the data already collected.

“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 said.

Haruna explained that the commission’s Information Technology team and the Voter Registration Department would begin processing the data immediately after the closure of the registration window.

He said INEC would deploy its Automated Biometric Identification System to detect and remove multiple registrations before the provisional voters’ register is displayed for public scrutiny.

“We have this automatic biometric system that will check whether somebody has registered more than once. They will publish the register for claims and objections. That is, if anybody thinks a name shouldn’t be on the register, or if he has some claims, for instance, that his name has been omitted or some of his details are incorrect,” he said.

Opposition Parties Seek Extension

Following INEC's announcement that the voters registration will close today, opposition parties and figures, including some civil society organisations, have called on the commission to extend the deadline.

The National Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress, Bolaji Abdullahi, said voter registration should not be tied to specific timelines.

According to him, Nigerians should have unrestricted access to the registration process whenever they decide to participate in the electoral process.

“We have also mobilised 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. What we have done is mobilise our people at the grassroots level,” he said.

Peter Obi Tells INEC Not To Disenfranchise Nigerians

Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Peter Obi, also appealed to INEC to extend the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration, CVR, exercise to allow more eligible Nigerians, particularly young people, to register ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Obi, in a statement posted on his official X handle last week Wednesday, argued that extending the registration period would promote wider participation in the electoral process without undermining preparations for the polls.

According to him, thousands of Nigerians attain the age of 18 every day and become constitutionally eligible to vote.

He said they should not be denied the opportunity to exercise their civic rights because of an early closure of the registration exercise.

“As we continue to encourage Nigerians to participate actively in our democracy, I respectfully appeal to INEC to consider extending the voter registration window to the latest practical date that still allows adequate time for the preparation of a credible voters’ register before the 2027 general elections,” Obi said.

Do you think INEC should extend the registration deadline beyond today? Share your thoughts in the comment below.

INEC Closes Voter Registration Portal Today: Key Things Every Nigerian Should Know

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