The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced on Monday that a remarkable 1.37 million Nigerians completed the online pre-registration for new voter cards in the first week of its resumption.
In a statement issued by Mr. Sam Olumekun, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, the commission revealed that 1,379,342 citizens signed up between Monday, August 18, and Sunday, August 24.
The figures show a striking geographical disparity in participation. Osun State recorded the highest number of registrations by a significant margin, with 393,823 individuals, making up 28.51% of the national total. Lagos State followed with 222,205 new registrants.
At the other end of the spectrum, Ebonyi State had the lowest uptake, with a mere 261 pre-registrations.
A demographic breakdown of the data provided by INEC indicates:
· A slight majority of registrants, 717,856 (52.04%), were women.
· Young people aged 18-34 were the dominant group, accounting for 860,286 (62.37%) of all registrants.
· Students were the largest occupational bloc, with 374,534 registrations.
· Some 27,089 persons with disabilities (1.96%) also completed the online process.
With the online pre-registration phase complete, the commission has now begun the physical capture of biometrics at its state and local government offices nationwide.
Mr. Olumekun urged all eligible Nigerians who have not yet registered to do so promptly and cautioned against waiting until the deadline of August 30, 2026. He also reiterated that double or multiple registration is a criminal offence under Nigerian electoral law.
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