_Commission releases gender and youth participation data, warns against underage registration in ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR).
By Dr. Nafisat Makinde
Abuja, September 8, 2025
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed that more than 3.5 million Nigerians have pre-registered online in just three weeks since the resumption of the nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise.
INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, disclosed in a statement on Monday that the figures, covering registrations up to Sunday, September 7, stand at 3,544,850.
The gender distribution shows that women outpaced men, with 1,834,917 females (51.76%) compared to 1,709,933 males (48.24%). Young Nigerians between 18 and 34 years old formed the bulk of registrants, contributing 2,291,809 entries (64.65%), while students alone made up 882,441 (24.89%).
Although online pre-registration began on August 18, physical enrolment at registration centres kicked off on August 25. Consolidated figures show that by September 4, a total of 288,614 registrations had been fully completed. These include 132,634 males (45.96%) and 155,980 females (54.04%). Youths again led with 215,414 (74.64%), while students contributed 114,150 (39.55%).
Olumekun emphasised INEC’s commitment to transparency, noting that detailed statistics by state, gender, age, occupation, and disability are published on its official platforms. He also cautioned against illegal practices, especially underage registrations.
“Voter registration is strictly for citizens who are 18 years and above,” he said. “It is unlawful to register minors in anticipation of their eligibility before the 2027 general elections.”
The CVR exercise continues nationwide, with both online and physical options open to citizens determined to participate in shaping the nation’s democratic future.
