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INEC Extends Voter Registration by Two Weeks, Unveils Online Self-Service Platform for First-Time Voters
INEC, Nigeria, Politics
POLITICS
7/3/20262 min read
The Nigerian Record
The Independent National Electoral Commission has extended the ongoing nationwide Continuous Voter Registration exercise by two weeks and introduced a new online self-service platform that will allow eligible first-time voters to complete their registration, including biometric capture, using their personal devices without visiting any INEC office, the electoral body announced on Friday.
The commission said the decision followed a review of the ongoing registration exercise as well as feedback received from its state offices, political parties, civil society organisations and other stakeholders, adding that the extension would push the deadline from July 10 to July 24, 2026.
According to a press release signed by the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, the nationwide CVR exercise commenced on August 18, 2025, and was originally scheduled to conclude on July 10, 2026. However, the commission said it had decided to extend the exercise to ensure that more eligible Nigerians who are yet to register have the opportunity to do so ahead of future electoral activities.
The extension, INEC stated, underscores its determination to ensure that every eligible Nigerian has a fair and reasonable opportunity to be captured in the National Register of Voters before future elections.
In a parallel development, the commission unveiled a self-service registration option for eligible first-time voters as part of its commitment to innovation, accessibility and improved service delivery. The online registration platform will become operational on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, through the commission's dedicated CVR portal at cvr.inecnigeria.org, where users can also access a step-by-step registration guide.
The commission explained that the self-service option would allow eligible Nigerians to initiate and complete their voter registration process, including biometric capture, directly from their personal devices without physically visiting any INEC office. INEC further assured Nigerians that the platform has been designed with multiple security features, including robust identity verification, biometric validation, and backend integrity checks, to safeguard the integrity of the voter register.
The electoral body urged all eligible Nigerians who have yet to register as voters to take advantage of both the two-week extension and the newly introduced online registration technology, reiterating its commitment to conducting a credible, inclusive and accessible voter registration exercise while leveraging technology to improve citizens' experience in the electoral process.