The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has unveiled plans to deepen collaboration with the National Identity Management Commission, NIMC to strengthen Nigeria’s voter register ahead of the 2027 general election, with a focus on eliminating duplication, curbing identity fraud and improving the integrity of the electoral process.
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan disclosed this during a courtesy visit by the NIMC Director-General, Abisoye Odusote and her team to the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
Amupitan describes the recently signed NIMC Act 2026 as a major milestone that would transform Nigeria’s identity management architecture and provide the legal and technological foundation for a more credible electoral system.
He noted that identity-related challenges, including impersonation, duplication and identity theft, have remained significant concerns for INEC, expressing confidence that the new legal framework and digital identity infrastructure would make such infractions easier to detect and prevent.
Amupitan adds that NIMC’s database of over 136 million enrolled Nigerians presents an opportunity for seamless integration between both institutions, enabling continuous verification, auditing and removal of duplicate and underage entries from the national voter register.
He also disclosed that, in line with Section 18 of the Electoral Act, the Commission has made provisions for the replacement of Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs that are damaged, defaced or illegible. He explained that eligible voters who report such cases at least 90 days before an election would be able to obtain replacement cards, including printable PVCs, to prevent disenfranchisement.
Amupitan adds that a comprehensive voter register quantification exercise would be undertaken after the 2027 General Election.
NIMC Director-General, Abisoye Odusote assures INEC of the Agency’s support in preparations for the 2027 polls, adding that reliable identity management remains fundamental to effective governance and credible elections.
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(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
