Youths and Women Lead Surge as Over 3.5 Million Nigerians Embrace Online Voter Registration

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reported a surge in new voter registrations, with young people and women constituting a significant majority of the figures. According to data released for the first three weeks of the resumed Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, a total of 3,544,850 Nigerians have completed the online pre-registration.

The data reveals a pronounced trend in participation, with women outnumbering men in the drive to get registered. Female participants account for 1,834,917 registrants, or 51.76 per cent of the total, while 1,709,933, or 48.24 per cent, are male.

In a statement issued by Sam Olumekun, National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information & Voter Education Committee, the commission also highlighted the overwhelming presence of the nation’s youth. A striking 64.65 per cent, representing 2,291,809 registrants, are young people between the ages of 18 and 34. Students constitute a major bloc of new registrants, making up 24.89 per cent, or 882,441 individuals.

The commission provided a further update on completed registrations, which combine the online pre-registration with the subsequent physical authentication process. The cumulative figure for completed registrations now stands at 288,614. This category also shows a strong lead by women, who make up 54.04 per cent (155,980), and youth aged 18-34, who constitute 74.64 per cent (215,414) of the total.

While expressing appreciation for the widespread civic participation, INEC issued a stern warning against attempts to register underage persons. The commission frowned upon reports of individuals instigating underage Nigerians to participate, clarifying that registration is only legal for citizens who are 18 years or older at the time of registration. It is illegal to register below the legal age in anticipation of turning 18 before the 2027 general elections.

The detailed breakdown of the registrations by state, gender, age, occupation, and disability has been uploaded to INEC’s official website and platforms for public information. The commission continues to encourage all eligible Nigerians to register.