The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that over 2.5 million Nigerians have completed their online voter pre-registration within just two weeks of the ongoing nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise.
INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education, Sam Olumekun, disclosed the update in a statement on Tuesday, September 2.
According to him, as of August 31, 2025, a total of 2,532,062 citizens had successfully pre-registered online since the exercise began on August 18, 2025.
The commission revealed that young Nigerians are leading the drive for voter registration. Of the total figure, 1,602,484 (63.29%) fall between the ages of 18 and 34, while students account for 647,528 (25.57%) of all registrants.
Women also outnumber men in the figures released, with 1,313,580 females (51.88%) compared to 1,218,482 males (48.12%).
INEC reminded Nigerians that online pre-registration is only the first step.
To complete the process, registrants must appear in person at one of the 811 state and local government INEC offices nationwide, where their fingerprints and biometric data will be captured.
“The online registration alone is invalid without physical completion,” the commission stressed, urging registrants not to delay.
A state-by-state breakdown shows that the South-West region is leading the registration drive.
Osun State tops the chart with 474,372 pre-registrations, followed by Lagos (355,372) and Ogun (265,399).
Other top-performing states include the Federal Capital Territory (152,250), Borno (135,661), Oyo (128,231), Kaduna (127,852), and Kogi (124,239).
On the other end of the scale, Ebonyi (490) and Enugu (856) recorded the lowest pre-registration figures.
INEC also confirmed that physical registration began on August 25, 2025, and within five days, 72,274 citizens had either completed their pre-registration or registered directly in person.
Again, youths dominated the process, with 75.71% of those who registered aged 18 to 34.
The commission expressed satisfaction with the turnout, applauding civic groups for mobilizing Nigerians to participate.
Meanwhile, INEC’s office in Osun State dismissed claims by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) that the CVR figures were inflated.
In a statement signed by the state’s spokesperson, Musa Olurode, INEC maintained that the figures reflected Osun’s history of strong civic engagement.
“The ADC’s claim of ‘statistical implausibility’ is false,” INEC stated.
“Osun has consistently recorded high civic participation in past exercises, including the 2022 governorship and 2023 general elections.”
The commission urged political parties to focus on voter sensitization rather than spreading unverified claims.
With millions already signaling their intent to vote, analysts believe the surge in youth participation could shape the political landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections.
INEC has assured citizens that both online and in-person options remain open and accessible, operating daily from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The strong start, especially in the South-West, highlights Nigerians’ renewed determination to play a part in shaping the country’s future.
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