The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says Nigeria’s National Register of Voters has now hit 103 million following the completion of the three-phase Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise and final biometric cleanup.
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, disclosed this at a World Press Conference and National Stakeholders Meeting held by the commission at the Bola Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja on Tuesday.
Amupitan said the three phases of the CVR exercise recorded 10,772,421 new registrations following the conclusion of the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) exercise.
According to him, the 103 million voters now makes Nigeria the largest democracy in Africa.
He listed the top 10 states with the highest number of registered voters, with Lagos, Kano and Kaduna occupying the first three positions.
“The national register of the voter now stands at 103 million making Nigeria the largest democracy in Africa. The top 10 states by number of registered voters are Lagos State first position with 7,488,633 registered voters, followed by Kano State with 6,570,276. Next is Kaduna State with 4,662,640 voters,” Amupitan said.
Others on the top 10 list are Katsina State with 3,876,051 registered voters; Rivers State, 3,736,434; Oyo State, 3,588,111; Delta State, 3,525,988; Benue State, 3,057,225; Ogun State, 3,037,981; and Bauchi State, 3,012,547.
Amupitan added, “At the end of the table is Ekiti State with registered voters of 1,055,708, followed by Bayelsa State with 1,200,691 registered voters. The FCT ranks next from the bottom with 1,772,043 voters followed by Yobe State with 1,733,641, and Gombe with 1,768,566.”
The INEC chairman also disclosed that male voters account for 53,528,218, representing 51.75 per cent of the register, while female voters number 49,900,497, representing 48.25 per cent.
He added that the age profile shows that the register is dominated by voters between the ages of 35 and 49, who account for 43,265,946 voters, or 41.83 per cent of the total.
This is followed by voters aged 18 to 34, numbering 29,777,576 and representing 28.79 per cent.
Voters aged 50 to 69 account for 22,982,900, or 22.22 per cent, while those aged 70 years and above are the smallest age group, with 7,402,291 voters, representing 7.16 per cent.
Amupitan also noted that the register recorded 232,658 persons with disabilities spread across 10 disability categories, representing roughly 0.23 per cent of the total 103.4 million registered voters.
In compliance with Section 19(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, the register of voters will be displayed for public scrutiny from October 9 to 16, 2026, not later than 90 days before the election.
He said claims and objections arising from the nationwide display of the voters’ register would be addressed thereafter.
He also said the first phase of the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) at all local government centres would commence on October 9, 2026
