The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced plans to deepen its collaboration with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) by deploying the National Identification Number (NIN) to verify voters and eliminate duplicate registrations ahead of future elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed this on Wednesday while receiving the Director-General of NIMC, Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, and members of her management team during a courtesy visit to the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
Amupitan said the renewed partnership was made possible following the enactment of the National Identity Management Commission Act, 2026, describing the legislation as a major step towards strengthening Nigeria’s identity management and electoral systems.
He explained that INEC’s recently introduced online Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) platform already requires prospective voters to provide their National Identification Number for identity verification before registration can be completed.
According to him, integrating the commission’s voter registration database more closely with NIMC’s identity database will simplify the registration process, improve data accuracy and enhance the credibility of elections.
“The Commission sees enormous opportunities for collaboration with NIMC, particularly in voter registration, data verification and the elimination of duplicate voter records,” Amupitan said.
He noted that reliable identity verification would help safeguard the integrity of the voters’ register while reducing cases of multiple registrations and identity fraud.
The INEC chairman also expressed optimism that sustained cooperation between both institutions would support broader electoral reforms aimed at delivering transparent, credible and technology-driven elections.
The partnership is expected to leverage NIMC’s national identity database to authenticate voter information, ensuring that only eligible citizens are captured in the electoral register.
The move forms part of INEC’s ongoing efforts to modernise voter registration and strengthen public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process through improved use of digital technology and inter-agency collaboration.