INEC ends CVR’s second phase, registers 3.7 million voters

The Independent National Electoral Commission has concluded the second phase of the nationwide Continuous Voter Registration exercise, recording a total of 3,748,704 completed registrations across the country.

In a statement issued on Friday and signed by INEC’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Mrs Victoria Etta-Messi, the commission said over three million people have completed their registration across the country, adding that the figure reflected a combination of online and physical registrations.

 “The Independent National Electoral Commission has concluded the second phase of the nationwide Continuous Voter Registration exercise today, Friday, April 17, 2026, recording a total of 3,748,704 completed registrations across the country.

.“The figure contained in the commission’s weekly update for Week 14 of the second phase of the exercise comprises both online pre-registrations and in-person completions at designated centres nationwide, reflecting sustained public participation in the voter registration process ahead of the 2027 general election,” the statement said.

Providing a breakdown, the commission stated, “A breakdown of the registrations shows that 2,259,288 Nigerians completed their registration through the online pre-registration portal, while 1,489,416 finalized their registration physically.”

However, INEC noted that the numbers remain provisional.

“The commission notes that the figures are preliminary and subject to further verification.”

With the registration phase now completed, the commission said it is moving to the next stage of the process.

With the conclusion of the registration phase, INEC has now shifted focus to the display of the Register of Voters for Claims and Objections, a critical stage in ensuring the accuracy and credibility of the voter register.”

The commission announced that the display exercise will run nationwide between April 29 and May 5, 2026.

It added, “The display exercise will take place at designated centres nationwide from 29th April to 5th May, 2026, providing an opportunity for citizens to verify their details and raise objections where necessary.”

INEC urged registrants to participate actively in the verification process.

“The Commission urges all Nigerians who registered during the second phase to take advantage of this window to confirm the accuracy of their information and assist in identifying ineligible entries, including duplicate registrations, deceased persons and non-citizens.”

The commission also outlined the timeline of the exercise, noting that, the CVR exercise is being conducted in phases and that the first phase commenced on August 18, 2025 and ended on December 19, 2025, while the second phase ran from January 5, 2026 to April 17, 2026.

INEC added that the next phase would made public in due course which will be the commencement of the 3rd phase.

Reaffirming its commitment to credible elections, the commission emphasised that, maintaining a clean and credible voter register remains central to the conduct of free, fair, and transparent elections.