The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially opened the in-person stage of its Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise across Nigeria, starting today, Monday, August 25, 2025.
This follows the online pre-registration phase, which began on August 18, 2025.
According to INEC’s data, there are still no fewer than 5,965,451 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) waiting to be collected across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
State-by-state records show large backlogs in several areas. Lagos has the highest number of unclaimed cards at 845,225, while Ogun has 410,281 and Oyo 515,254. Other significant figures include 232,183 in Delta, 360,794 in Osun, and 327,177 in Kano. In smaller states, the numbers are lower, with 31,690 in Anambra, 29,595 in Ekiti, and 47,295 in Yobe.
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INEC noted that the CVR exercise allows citizens to register for the first time, update their details, transfer their registration, or replace lost and damaged PVCs. Those who began the process online must now visit designated INEC centres to complete biometric capture.
The commission explained: “The CVR exercise will take place at 811 centres across the country, including all 774 Local Government Area offices and State offices. Registration will run from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Monday to Friday. The process is open only to Nigerian citizens who are at least 18 years of age and have never registered before.”
To encourage participation, INEC launched a nationwide awareness campaign last Friday, urging Nigerians to register and reminding them that voting starts with being on the voter roll.
The electoral body also said arrangements are in place to ensure persons with disabilities and vulnerable groups can access the registration process.
Additional online services are available at www.cvr.inecnigeria.org, where users can pre-register, check their PVC status, locate centres, transfer voter information, or request card replacements.
