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| INEC Chairman, Amupitan |
Nigeria Moves to Clean Up Voter Register as INEC Targets Dead, Duplicate and Underage Names Before 2027 Elections
Summary
INEC plans to use NIMC's database to remove dead, duplicate and underage names from Nigeria's voter register.
The electoral commission says a cleaner register will improve election credibility and reduce the cost of conducting polls.
Officials say the newly signed NIMC Act 2026 will strengthen identity verification ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced plans to work closely with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to clean up Nigeria's voter register ahead of the 2027 general elections. The exercise is expected to remove the names of deceased persons, eliminate duplicate records and improve the overall credibility of the country's electoral database. Read original.
According to INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, the current voter register still contains records of Nigerians who died as far back as 2011, alongside duplicate entries that have remained unresolved over the years. He explained that correcting these issues would not only improve the integrity of elections but also reduce the huge expenses associated with printing election materials.
Speaking during a visit by a NIMC delegation led by Director-General Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, Amupitan said the commission currently prints election materials for more than 100 million registered voters while making additional provisions to account for discrepancies in the register.
He revealed that with over 136 million Nigerians already enrolled in the NIMC database, stronger integration between both agencies would allow continuous verification of voter records and help identify duplicate, underage or invalid registrations.
"The current voter register still contains entries belonging to Nigerians who died as far back as 2011," Amupitan said.
He added, "A credible, well-quantified voter register will significantly reduce the overall cost of conducting elections."
The INEC chairman also described the recently signed National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act 2026 as a major step towards building a more reliable electoral system. He said the law would strengthen identity verification, reduce cases of voter impersonation and prevent identity theft during elections.
Using a symbolic comparison, Amupitan said, "When a new baby is born, there must always be a naming ceremony," explaining that the law marks NIMC's transformation from a registration agency into what he called a sovereign digital authority with wider responsibilities across governance, commerce, land administration and election management.
He recalled previously urging lawmakers to strengthen Nigeria's identity management framework during an appearance before the Senate and praised the National Assembly for passing legislation that now supports a more credible voter verification process.
Amupitan further explained that INEC's online voter registration platform now relies on the National Identification Number (NIN) for identity verification. He noted that the system is designed to make Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) more secure and efficient.
He also reminded Nigerians that under Section 18 of the Electoral Act, eligible voters whose Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) have been damaged, lost or become unreadable can request replacements. Printable PVCs will also be available for cases reported at least 90 days before an election to ensure qualified voters are not excluded.
The INEC chairman said artificial intelligence is gradually becoming part of electoral operations but stressed that clear safeguards and operational controls would be necessary to protect the integrity of election data.
According to him, technical teams from both INEC and NIMC have already begun working together on areas of collaboration to ensure the identity verification system is fully prepared before the 2027 elections.
"The partnership is a digital trust network capable of reinforcing confidence in Nigeria's identity ecosystem and the work of the Electoral Commission," Amupitan stated.
NIMC Director-General Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote told the INEC leadership that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed the NIMC Act 2026 into law on 26 June 2026, following nearly 20 years of legislative efforts.
She said the legislation establishes NIMC as Nigeria's root authority for Public Key Infrastructure and places it at the centre of the country's digital public infrastructure.
"Identity remains the foundation of effective governance and credible election planning," Coker-Odusote said, while assuring INEC of NIMC's full support towards delivering transparent and credible elections in 2027.
Meanwhile, Amupitan reaffirmed that preparations for the 2027 general elections remain a priority, even as the commission concludes arrangements for the upcoming Osun State governorship election.
During a separate visit by members of the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) from Plateau State, led by Pius A. Akubo, SAN, the INEC chairman appealed to Nigerians, especially legal practitioners, to continue supporting the commission as it carries out its constitutional responsibilities.
He also commended the commission's national commissioners, secretary, directors and technical staff for their contributions, describing them as the "generals" behind the success of recent elections. Amupitan equally expressed appreciation to the visiting senior advocates and paid tribute to late legal practitioners from Plateau State, describing their passing as a significant loss to the legal profession.Continue reading