The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially announced plans to launch a nationwide continuous voter registration (CVR) exercise starting in the first quarter of 2025.
According to a memo dated November 20, 2024, seen by TheCable, INEC Secretary Rose Oriaran-Anthony directed resident electoral commissioners across Nigeria to begin preliminary preparations for the upcoming exercise. The memo outlines a phased rollout, where the registration will first be conducted at the local government area (LGA) level and later expand to cover individual registration areas. This approach aims to ensure an organized and comprehensive registration process across the nation.
The memo requests several key details from the state offices to facilitate the process, including the current status of INEC Voter Enrolment Devices (IVED) and the availability of both colored and black-and-white heavy-duty printers, as well as CVR forms and materials. Additionally, state offices are asked to identify and select staff who will serve as voter registration officials.
The directive also emphasizes the need to compile information on uncollected Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in preparation for the exercise. INEC plans to print a register of uncollected PVCs, which will be displayed during the registration period to assist in better organizing and distributing these cards to eligible voters.
The upcoming CVR exercise marks the first registration initiative since July 2022, when INEC temporarily suspended voter registration ahead of the 2023 general election. This new phase will allow previously unregistered citizens and those requiring updates to their information to participate in the electoral process, strengthening the country’s democratic engagement in anticipation of future elections.
