Daniel Otera
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will commence a nationwide one-year voter registration exercise on August 18, 2025, as part of early preparations for Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
The Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) campaign will run until August 30, 2026, across 811 centres, covering all 774 local government areas, state offices, and the Federal Capital Territory. INEC says the exercise will feature both online and in-person registration, giving eligible Nigerians ample time to register, update records, or transfer their voting locations.
Announcing the rollout, Sam Olumekun, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, described the CVR as a “critical phase in ensuring inclusive electoral participation.”
“Both online and physical registration will run side-by-side for the full year, allowing eligible Nigerians ample time to register, transfer voting locations, or correct their records,” Olumekun stated in a press release on Thursday.
Online pre-registration will go live on August 18, while physical registration at designated centres will begin a week later on August 25. The registration centres will operate weekdays (Monday to Friday), from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., excluding public holidays.
To support the exercise, INEC is launching a digital tool called the CVR Live Locator to help eligible voters easily identify the nearest registration centres. The platform, accessible via https://cvr.inecnigeria.org/locator, will become operational on Saturday, August 17, 2025, just a day before the CVR officially begins.
“The Commission is deploying an online CVR Live Locator to assist citizens in locating the registration centres nationwide,” said Olumekun.
He also noted that dedicated help desk phone numbers will be assigned to each state to offer real-time support throughout the registration period.
INEC confirmed that the same procedures used during the 2022 registration cycle will be retained. However, it plans to release updated civic education materials, including video tutorials, in the coming days to guide new registrants and help prevent confusion during the year-long process.
The full list of registration centres has been published on the Commission’s website.
INEC also disclosed that it has received 151 letters of intent from political associations seeking registration, including eight new applications submitted since its last update in July.
The Commission has begun screening the applications and says shortlisted associations will be announced after the conclusion of 16 scheduled bye-elections across 12 states on August 16, 2025.
“The party registration portal is active, and only those associations that meet the minimum criteria will proceed to the next stage,” Olumekun confirmed.
The launch of a 12-month voter registration window and early party registration screening reflects INEC’s efforts to reduce pressure, enhance transparency, and expand access to Nigeria’s electoral process—an approach that has earned praise from election observers and civic organisations.
By stretching the CVR timeline across a full year, INEC aims to:
Minimise congestion at registration centres
Encourage participation from first-time voters and marginalised groups
Improve the accuracy and credibility of the national voter register
The combination of digital tools, public education, and an extended registration timeline suggests that INEC is making deliberate efforts to avert the logistical setbacks that have historically affected Nigeria’s electoral process.
By introducing the CVR Live Locator and spreading the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise over a full year, the Commission aims to reduce crowding, improve access for first-time voters, and enhance transparency.
The move aligns with growing calls from civil society organisations and election observers for a more inclusive and technology-driven registration process.