The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially concluded the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, despite calls from opposition political parties and civil society organisations (CSOs) for an extension. The commission maintained that closing the registration window was necessary to allow sufficient time for data clean-up, logistics planning, and pre-election preparations ahead of the 2027 general elections. 

INEC officials emphasized that the decision complied with legal provisions requiring the suspension of voter registration 90 days before an election. This buffer period is designed to facilitate data verification, the printing of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), and the display of the voters’ register for public claims and objections.

National Commissioner Mohammed Haruna stated that the electoral body’s technical teams will immediately deploy the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) to detect and eliminate multiple registrations. Following this internal processing, the provisional register will be opened for public scrutiny, enabling citizens to report omissions or incorrect details before the final register is published and distributed to political parties.

Chief Press Secretary Dayo Oketola added that the commission conducted extensive nationwide awareness campaigns and operated registration platforms across all 774 local government areas. According to INEC, Phase III of the CVR exercise recorded 2,970,257 eligible registrants, bringing youth participation to the forefront as citizens aged 18 to 34 accounted for over 67 percent of the total submissions. Students and business owners formed the largest demographic groups among the newly registered applicants.

Reactions from Political Parties and Civil Society Organisations

The termination of the registration window drew mixed responses from political stakeholders and advocacy groups:

• Opposition Parties: Representatives from the African Democratic Congress, the Peoples Democratic Party, and the Labour Party argued that the continuous nature of the exercise should allow citizens to register up until the final legal threshold. Critics contended that early closure risks disenfranchising millions of potential voters, particularly young citizens attaining voting age in the months leading up to the election.

• Civil Society Organisations: Several CSO leaders expressed concern that halting the process prematurely limits democratic participation. While organizations such as Women Arise for Change and the BallotEyes Working Group advocated for extended registration windows to encourage broader civic engagement, other groups like Yiaga Africa supported INEC’s stance, stressing that strict adherence to the electoral timetable is crucial for maintaining the administrative integrity of the polls.

The governing All Progressives Congress also voiced support for the electoral commission's scheduling, noting that strict adherence to deadlines ensures proper resource distribution and preparation for the upcoming general elections.