The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reaffirmed that the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise will officially end on Sunday, July 26, 2026, insisting there will be no extension beyond the stipulated deadline.
The commission urged eligible Nigerians who have yet to register to take advantage of the remaining hours before the registration portal closes.
The announcement comes amid calls from some opposition political parties requesting an extension, citing concerns that millions of eligible Nigerians could be left out of the 2027 general elections.
However, INEC National Commissioner Mohammed Haruna, in an interview with The PUNCH, said the electoral body would not shift the deadline because it must begin processing the data collected during the exercise.
Haruna explained that once registration closes, INEC’s Information Technology Department and Voter Registration Department will commence data verification and cleanup.
He said the commission would deploy its Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) to detect and eliminate multiple registrations before publishing the provisional voters’ register for public inspection.
According to him, the final number of newly registered voters will only be determined after biometric verification and the completion of the claims and objections process.
Haruna stressed that voter registration would officially end at midnight on Sunday, adding that extending the exercise would disrupt preparations for producing a credible and accurate voters’ register.
He noted that after verification, the updated register would be added to the existing database of over 93 million registered voters, after which copies would be distributed to political parties ahead of the 2027 elections.
The INEC commissioner also dismissed concerns that the deadline would disenfranchise eligible Nigerians, stating that the commission could only register citizens who presented themselves during the registration period.
He added that registrations had been conducted through the online portal, designated registration centres, and INEC offices across all 774 local government areas.
Meanwhile, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Dayo Oketola, said ending the voter registration exercise is in line with constitutional and legal requirements and is necessary for the commission to begin critical preparations for the 2027 general elections.
Oketola maintained that the registration portal experienced no unusual pressure during the exercise, noting that the system was designed to accommodate applicants throughout the registration period.
He also rejected claims that the closure would disenfranchise eligible voters, pointing out that INEC carried out extensive nationwide voter education and awareness campaigns to encourage participation.
According to him, allowing voter registration to continue indefinitely would interfere with the commission’s election timetable and other essential pre-election activities.