By Nkechi Eze
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening collaboration in the areas of voter mobilisation, civic education, and strategic information sharing, particularly in the buildup to the Anambra State Governorship Election scheduled for November 8, 2025, and the 2027 General Elections.
This renewed commitment was made during a courtesy visit by the NOA Director-General, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, to the INEC Headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday, July 30, 2025. The high-level engagement comes at a time when both institutions are intensifying preparations for upcoming electoral exercises and seeking to increase citizen participation, particularly among young people, women, and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).
Welcoming the NOA delegation, INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, commended the leadership of the National Orientation Agency for what he described as “giant strides” in public enlightenment, civic reorientation, and grassroots communication. He noted that the role of the NOA in disseminating information and fostering national consciousness remains crucial to the success of Nigeria’s democratic process.
“Our responsibility as an election management body is multi-stakeholder and inter-agency in nature,” Yakubu stated. “To succeed, we must engage all stakeholders and every national institution relevant to our mandate. The NOA is one such institution. We recognise the depth and reach of your platform, and we are eager to deepen our cooperation, especially in voter mobilisation and public education.”
The INEC Chairman stressed that beyond conventional voter awareness efforts, the Commission is exploring more innovative, inclusive, and technology-driven approaches to deepen democratic participation. He highlighted specific areas for expanded collaboration, including joint campaigns targeting voter registration, deployment of multilingual civic education materials, and the use of NOA’s media assets such as NOA TV, NOA Radio, and its data-driven community platforms.
“Voter mobilisation will be a priority in the coming months,” Yakubu said. “As we prepare for the Anambra Governorship Election and roll out the nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) beginning in August, we must intensify efforts to increase voter turnout and enhance the participation of under-represented groups, including young Nigerians, women, and persons with disabilities.”
Professor Yakubu revealed that online pre-registration of voters is scheduled to commence on August 18, 2025, with physical, in-person registration set to begin a week later on August 25. These timelines, he said, will enable the Commission to better plan and manage the expected surge in voter enrolment, particularly in preparation for the 2027 General Elections.
In a significant development, the INEC Chairman disclosed that the Commission has established a new Artificial Intelligence Division under its Department of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to enhance election planning, data analytics, and voter engagement. He expressed interest in synergising this new unit with NOA’s AI-powered data management and behavioural insight tools.
In further demonstration of the Commission’s intent to forge a robust inter-agency partnership, Professor Yakubu announced that the NOA has been incorporated into the expanded membership of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES). In addition, the Agency will now play an active role in the soon-to-be-revamped National Inter-Agency Committee on Voter Education and Publicity (NICVEP), which coordinates nationwide civic education and strategic voter awareness campaigns.
Earlier in his remarks, NOA Director-General Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu thanked the INEC Chairman for the warm reception and expressed deep appreciation for the opportunity to reinvigorate cooperation between the two institutions. He emphasized that both agencies are united by a shared responsibility to preserve Nigeria’s democratic integrity through sustained voter education and national orientation.
“Like INEC, we have a widespread operational presence across the country. We have offices in all 774 local government areas, 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory, and six zonal directorates. We are ready to leverage this nationwide infrastructure to strengthen voter awareness, civic engagement, and informed participation,” Issa-Onilu stated.
He observed that despite the existence of civic institutions such as INEC and NOA, many Nigerians still lack basic understanding of the roles and mandates of both bodies. This gap, he said, fuels public apathy, misinformation, and low voter turnout. He pledged that the NOA would intensify its efforts at community-level engagement, traditional media sensitisation, and youth-focused outreach campaigns to bridge this knowledge gap.
“We will strengthen our presence in schools, religious centres, marketplaces, and community gatherings to ensure Nigerians, especially first-time voters, understand their rights, responsibilities, and the value of their vote,” the NOA boss added.
Both organisations agreed to constitute a joint working group that will coordinate the implementation of strategic voter education projects, including town hall meetings, door-to-door sensitisation, radio and TV jingles, and digital advocacy, in the lead-up to the Anambra poll and beyond.
The renewed synergy between INEC and NOA marks a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s electoral readiness efforts and reflects a proactive response to the pressing need for inclusive, informed, and participatory democracy. As the nation prepares for critical electoral exercises in 2025 and 2027, the commitment of both institutions to collaborative civic education stands as a beacon of hope for deeper democratic consolidation.
