The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) stated that Nigeria’s National Register of Voters has risen to more than 103 million ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The increase followed the Commission’s three-phase Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, which attracted more than 10.6 million new applicants, while the public display of the Preliminary Register for claims and objections and the final biometric cleanup have been completed.
INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, disclosed this on Monday at a strategic workshop for media executives organised in collaboration with Development Alternatives Incorporated (DAI) and the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) in Abuja.
The workshop, held at BON Hotel Octagon, Jahi District, Abuja, had the theme, “Strengthening Democracy Through Partnership Among Editors, Civil Society and Electoral Institutions.”
Amupitan said the Commission had also completed the final Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) cleanup of the voters’ register, as part of efforts to improve the integrity and accuracy of the electoral roll ahead of the 2027 elections.
He also announced that the nationwide collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) would commence on Friday, October 9, 2026, urging eligible voters to participate in the exercise.
The INEC chairman noted that the development was particularly significant as the country moves closer to the 2027 general elections, stressing that the Commission remained committed to ensuring a transparent, technology-driven and credible electoral process.
He said INEC would continue to improve the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) to ensure that valid votes were properly accredited, recorded and made available for public scrutiny.
Amupitan, however, identified public trust as a critical factor in determining the credibility of elections, noting that operational efficiency by INEC alone could not guarantee democratic stability.
“The ultimate arbiter of electoral integrity is public trust,” the chairman stated.
He called for stronger collaboration between INEC, media organisations, editors, civil society groups and other stakeholders, saying the Commission was prepared to listen to editorial concerns, address operational challenges and provide timely information to prevent communication gaps from being exploited by misinformation.
The INEC chairman also urged newsrooms to establish digital fact-verification desks, while pledging that the Commission would provide editors with direct access to verify field incidents, logistical developments and security reports in real time.
He further proposed a sustained editorial feedback mechanism between INEC and the Nigerian Guild of Editors to review the Commission’s operational progress and address emerging challenges throughout the 2027 election cycle.
Earlier, President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Eze Anaba, described the workshop as timely, given the country’s proximity to another general election.
Anaba said elections were not merely about casting ballots, but also about ensuring that citizens had confidence that their votes would count and that institutions responsible for conducting elections would act fairly and professionally.
He urged editors to uphold accuracy, fairness, balance and public interest in electoral reporting, while calling for stronger access to credible and timely information from INEC.
The Director of the Voter Education and Publicity Department, Victoria Eta-Messi, identified misinformation and disinformation as major factors contributing to declining citizen participation in elections.
She urged media organisations to support INEC by ensuring that accurate and timely electoral information reached citizens, particularly as the Commission prepares to commence PVC collection.
DAI Team Leader, Rudolf Elbling, said credible elections depended not only on effective electoral administration but also on professional, ethical and fact-based journalism.
He identified electoral integrity, election technology, the security of journalists and voters, and information disorder as some of the major challenges confronting the media ahead of the 2027 elections.
Executive Director of the Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO), Akin Akingbulu, said Nigeria was at a critical point in its democratic journey, with the 2027 elections approaching and PVC collection scheduled to begin within days.
He noted that electoral information was already shaping public discourse across newspapers, radio, television and digital platforms.
Akingbulu said editors were not defined merely by their positions but by the responsibility they carried as stewards of the electoral information ecosystem.
He urged editors to rigorously verify information, remain vigilant against deepfakes and avoid publishing unofficial election results.
“Verification is a two-way street. Verify before you amplify,” he added.