BREAKING: After Public Pressure, INEC Finally Publishes Preliminary Voters’ Register Online Ahead Of 2027 Elections
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has finally published the preliminary register of voters for the 2027 general election online, eight days after FIJ reported how the commission missed the statutory deadline for publication.
The register is now accessible through INEC’s online platform here.
In a press release dated October 26, and signed by Mohammed Kudu Haruna, chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, the commission said it had taken note of concerns about making the register accessible online in addition to the physical display already conducted.
“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 https://display.inecnigeria.org the same Preliminary Register of Voters earlier displayed at the Registration Areas,” the statement reads.
Nigerians on social media had also mounted pressure on INEC to publish the register. For instance, Mundus, who runs Mundux analytics, the election-focused civic tech organisation, wrote on X:
“INEC has disregarded the Electoral Act by failing to publish the voters’ register online for public scrutiny, even after the statutory 90-day deadline has passed.”
CSOs like the Concerned Citizens for Nigerian Democracy (CCND), in a letter dated October 22 and signed by convener Michael Ademofe, called on the commission to publish the preliminary register online.
The group gave INEC until October 30 to comply, warning that it could seek a court order if the commission failed to act.
“Without the register online, citizens, parties and observers cannot check it for duplicate, deceased or unlawfully transferred entries, and the 14-day window for claims and objections is meaningless. The register is the foundation of the election,” the group said in its letter.
The group also asked INEC to clarify how it would protect voters’ personal data and handle complaints about unauthorised access to registration records.
HOW INEC MISSED THE ONLINE PUBLICATION DEADLINE
On October 10 and October 18, FIJ reported that INEC had failed to publish the preliminary register online by the statutory deadline, even though the commission had announced a nationwide physical display from October 9 to October 15.
FIJ visited the online portal on October 16 and again on October 18. On both occasions, the website displayed the message: “There are currently no preliminary registers to display. Please check back later.”
October 18 was 90 days before the presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January 16, 2027, according to INEC’s timetable.
The failure to make the register available online meant that members of the public could not use the commission’s website to examine the preliminary list during the period in which the physical display was taking place and immediately afterwards.
INEC had maintained that the physical display took place at registration areas nationwide from October 9 to October 15, allowing registered voters to inspect their particulars and submit claims and objections.
WHAT THE ELECTORAL ACT SAYS
Section 19(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026, provides for the public display and online publication of the voters’ register ahead of a general election.
The law states:
“Subject to the provisions of section 9 (6) of this Act, the Commission shall, not later than 90 days to a general election, appoint a period of seven days during which a copy of the voters’ register for each Local Government, Area Council or Ward shall be displayed or published for public scrutiny at every registration area and on its official website or any website established by the Commission for that purpose.”
The provision is intended to give registered voters and other members of the public an opportunity to scrutinise the register and identify omissions, incorrect particulars and entries that may require investigation or correction.
Section 19(2) provides for claims and objections concerning names omitted from or included in the register, as well as corrections to voters’ particulars.
The law also prescribes penalties for an INEC official or staff member who fails to comply with the relevant publication and display requirements.
WHY PUBLIC ACCESS MATTERS
For the sake of accuracy and transparent electioneering, Nigerians need to be able to access the voters register. There is an antecedent from past elections that lends credence to this.
Ahead of the 2023 general election, the European Union Election Observation Mission identified that the register had the names of deceased and emigrated voters. At the time, it had recommended a timely, independent external audit to assess the register’s accuracy, biometric data and inclusiveness.
INEC also announced in 2022 that its biometric screening had invalidated 2,780,756 of the 12,298,944 new registrations recorded during the Continuous Voter Registration exercise between June 2021 and July 2022. The commission attributed the invalid records to issues including multiple registrations, underage registrations and fictitious registrations.
The preliminary register therefore provides an opportunity for the public to identify questionable entries before the commission certifies the final list. In its October 26 statement, INEC claimed the online publication was intended to complement the physical display and facilitate wider access.
“This additional measure complements the physical display already undertaken and is intended to facilitate wider public access to the Register,” the commission said.
