INEC publishes preliminary voter register online after missing legal deadline

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has published the preliminary register of voters for the 2027 general election online, days after missing the statutory deadline for making the register available for public scrutiny.

In a statement by its spokesperson, Mohammed Haruna, INEC said the commission decided to upload the register following concerns from Nigerians and other stakeholders about its online accessibility.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the electoral commission violated electoral law by failing to publish the voter register on its website by the stipulated time.

Section 19(1) of the Electoral Act 2026 mandates INEC to publish the voters’ register on its website, alongside a physical publication at every registration area, for seven days before the 90-day mark to the general election.

Under the law, the publication allows public scrutiny.

Since the 2027 general elections are scheduled to begin on 16 January 2027, the deadline for INEC to appoint the seven days for displaying the voters’ register was 18 October.

The election begins with the presidential and National Assembly elections on 16 January 2027, followed by the governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections on 6 February 2027, according to INEC’s timetable.

In the Monday statement by its spokesperson, INEC said it conducted the physical display of the preliminary register at registration areas nationwide from 9 to 15 October, allowing registered voters to inspect their details and submit claims and objections.

“Accordingly, and in furtherance of its commitment to transparency, accessibility and public confidence in the electoral process, the commission has decided to make available on its online platform the same Preliminary Register of Voters earlier displayed at the Registration Areas,” the commission said.

INEC said the online publication was an additional measure to widen public access to the register, while the commission continued processing claims and objections ahead of publishing the final register.

It added that the final register of voters will be published on 15 December.

The register is available on the commission’s online platform.

The preliminary register allows registered voters to check whether their names and personal details have been correctly captured ahead of an election.

It also provides an opportunity to identify omissions, errors and questionable entries before INEC finalises the list.

INEC said it remained committed to transparency, accountability and the implementation of the Electoral Act, 2026, as it prepares for the 2027 general election.

The voter register has risen to 103 million voters, up from 93 million recorded ahead of the 2023 elections. Middle-aged Nigerians dominate the voter register, ahead of young Nigerians who dominated it before the 2023 elections.

According to the breakdown provided by INEC, voters in the 35–49 age bracket number 43,265,946, representing 41.83 per cent of the 103.43 million registered voters.

They are followed by voters aged 18 to 34, who number 29,777,576, or 28.79 per cent of the register.

The commission said 22,982,900 voters, or 22.22 per cent, are aged 50 to 69 years, while those aged 70 and above make up the smallest age group, with 7,402,291 voters, or 7.16 per cent.

The age distribution shows that voters aged 35 years and above account for about 71.2 per cent of the register, while those aged 18 to 34 years constitute less than one-third of registered voters.

This differs from the 2023 voter data, where voters aged 18 to 34 dominated the register at 39.65 per cent.