The Independent National Electoral Commission will commence a nationwide Continuous Voter Registration exercise on August 18, 2025, in preparation for the 2027 general elections.
INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner for Benue State, Prof. Sam Egwu, disclosed this in Makurdi on Tuesday, stating that the exercise would be conducted across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
“The CVR exercise is in line with constitutional provisions to accommodate those who have attained 18 years after the previous election,” Egwu explained.
The registration will begin with an online pre-registration process via INEC’s official website, followed by in-person registration at all INEC Area Offices and designated centers from August 25, 2025.
“In-person registration will take place between 9am and 3pm each day, from Monday to Friday,” the REC stated.
Egwu emphasized that the exercise aims to address several voter registration needs, including: First-time registrants who turned 18 after the 2023 elections; Nigerians who were previously unavailable to register due to being abroad or incarcerated; Voters requiring replacement of damaged or lost Permanent Voter Cards; Citizens needing corrections or updates to their voter information; Those seeking to transfer their registration within or between states.
The REC issued a strong warning against fraudulent practices, advising that “registrants must not pay money or give gratification to anyone to be registered.” He urged Nigerians to “take advantage of the services early enough to avoid last-minute rush for attention so as to avoid the usual pains and hardships associated with the exercise in the past.”
Special provisions will be made for Internally Displaced Persons in Benue State, with the commission promising to announce the closing date for this registration phase in due course to allow for proper data processing.
This marks INEC’s first major electoral preparation activity ahead of the 2027 general elections, following the conclusion of the 2023 electoral cycle. The commission has assured adequate preparations to ensure a seamless registration process nationwide.
