The Independent National Electoral Commission has announced that it will commence a nationwide voter revalidation exercise on April 13, 2026, as part of preparations for the 2027 general election.
In a directive signed by the Secretary to the Commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, resident electoral commissioners across the country were instructed to begin necessary preparations, including mobilising personnel and readying INEC voter enrolment devices.
The commission outlined a phased timetable for the exercise, which will begin at the local government area level from April 13 to May 2.
It will then move to the registration area level from May 5 to May 11, followed by polling units from May 13 to May 19.
A second phase at the local government level is scheduled to run from May 20 to May 29.
Ahead of the rollout, INEC conducted a training-of-trainers workshop on March 30 at The Electoral Institute to prepare officials for the exercise.
Chairman of the institute’s board, Kunle Ajayi, stressed the importance of the process, stating that “a credible election starts with a credible voter register”.
READ ALSO: INEC Raises Alarm Over Security Threats To 2027 Elections
He added that it is “critical to ensure the integrity of the register ahead of the 2027 general election”.
Ajayi urged participants, drawn from master trainers and staff of the voter registry and ICT departments, to remain committed, noting that “the success of the revalidation exercise rests on their shoulders”.
INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, had earlier explained that the revalidation exercise is aimed at addressing persistent issues affecting the voter register.
These include duplicate registrations, underage entries, registrations by non-citizens, inclusion of deceased persons, and incomplete or inaccurate records.
He said, “As of the 2023 general election, the register stood at 93,469,008 voters. However, these anomalies continue to generate legitimate concerns,” Amupitan said.
“A credible register remains the bedrock of free, fair and transparent elections. No electoral process can command public confidence without trust in the integrity of its voters’ register.”