By Nkechi Eze
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the conclusion of the first quarter of the ongoing nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, signaling the next critical stage in the voter verification process ahead of future elections. The first quarter will officially close on Wednesday, 10 December 2025, following weeks of both online and physical registration across the country.
The CVR exercise commenced with online pre-registration on 18 August 2025 and progressed to in-person registration on 25 August 2025 in all 774 Local Government Areas, INEC State Offices and the Federal Capital Territory. The Commission said the exercise has continued to attract strong national participation, reflecting citizens’ readiness to engage in the democratic process.
In a statement signed by the Director, Voter Education and Publicity, Mrs Victoria Eta-Messi, the Commission announced that, in accordance with Section 19 of the Electoral Act 2022, the Display of the Register of Voters for Claims and Objections will hold from 15 to 21 December 2025. The display exercise, which will take place at Local Government Offices where registration occurred, offers citizens a statutory opportunity to confirm the accuracy of their information and raise concerns about errors or the presence of ineligible persons. She explained that public scrutiny is vital for a credible electoral process, noting that, “the Commission urges all eligible citizens, especially those who registered, transferred, or updated their information during this phase, to use this window to verify their details, report inaccuracies and draw attention to ineligible or deceased persons on the register.”
As part of its weekly update, INEC disclosed that a total of 9,891,801 online pre-registrations have been recorded nationwide at the end of the 13th week of the exercise. Of this figure, 2,572,054 registrations have been fully completed, comprising 1,503,832 online completions and 1,068,222 physical registrations as of 28 November 2025. The Commission described these numbers as a reflection of growing civic awareness and the public’s increasing interest in participating in future electoral processes.
INEC also reminded the public that the CVR exercise remains suspended in Anambra State and the Federal Capital Territory due to ongoing electoral activities in both areas. It assured that new dates for resumption will be communicated after the conclusion of their respective processes.
In line with the earlier released timetable, the Commission stated that the second phase of the CVR exercise will resume on 5 January 2026. It encouraged Nigerians to remain engaged and take advantage of each stage of the registration and verification cycle.
INEC reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining a credible, inclusive and transparent Register of Voters and emphasised that the cooperation of Nigerians remains essential to strengthening the nation’s democratic foundations. The Commission reiterated that the integrity of the voters’ register is a shared responsibility and called on citizens to support ongoing efforts to ensure accuracy, fairness and full public confidence in the electoral process.
