The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has wrapped up the first quarter of its nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, setting the stage for the public review of the voter register.

The initial phase, which began with online pre-registration on August 18, 2025, and continued with in-person registration across all 774 local government areas and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), officially ended on Wednesday, December 10.

The announcement came in a statement issued by INEC’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi.

INEC encouraged all registrants, particularly those who updated or transferred their voter information, to use the review period to verify their details and raise any objections as necessary.

The review is scheduled to run from December 15 to 21, 2025, at local government offices nationwide, in accordance with Section 19 of the Electoral Act 2022.

By the end of the 13th week of the exercise, INEC reported a total of 9,891,801 online pre-registrations nationwide.

“Of these, 2,572,054 registrations have been fully completed, including 1,503,832 online and 1,068,222 physical registrations as of November 28, 2025,” the statement added.

However, registration in Anambra State and the FCT remains suspended due to ongoing electoral activities, with new dates to be announced later.

Eta-Messi emphasized, “The first quarter of this exercise formally closes on Wednesday, December 10, 2025. In line with Section 19 of the Electoral Act 2022, the voter register will be displayed for claims and objections from December 15 to 21, 2025, at the Local Government offices where registration took place.”

Citizens who registered, transferred, or updated their voter information are urged to verify their details and submit objections where necessary.

The second phase of the CVR is scheduled to resume on January 5, 2026, following the earlier timetable.

“In line with the previously released timelines, the second phase of the CVR exercise will begin on January 5, 2026. INEC remains committed to maintaining a credible, inclusive, and transparent voter register and counts on the continued cooperation of Nigerians to strengthen our democracy,” Eta-Messi said.

In Plateau State, female voters led in collecting their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), reflecting strong interest and engagement in the electoral process.

Resident Electoral Commissioner Mallam Mohammed Abubakar Sadiq shared this during a stakeholders’ meeting in Jos on Wednesday.

Sadiq explained, “The continuous voter registration exercise started on August 18, 2025, with online pre-registration, followed by in-person registration on August 25. Registration and the production of an accurate voter register are fundamental to our electoral system.”

He added, “Over the past three months, we have received 76,451 applications, with 25,290 new registrations completed. Female PVC collection currently leads with 610 cards collected, compared to 394 for males. There are still 7,019 individuals yet to be captured, 44,142 incidents recorded, and 101,200 uncollected PVCs.”

Sadiq identified incomplete registrations and uncollected PVCs as major challenges and encouraged registrants to use the December 15–21 review period to check and correct their details.

He also expressed gratitude to stakeholders, including traditional leaders, local government councils, political parties, security agencies, and the media, for supporting voter mobilization efforts.

“The second phase of continuous voter registration will commence on January 5, 2026,” he reiterated.

Sadiq also expressed concern over the low PVC collection rate, noting that despite efforts to make the cards available, turnout has been very low.

“Out of over 101,000 PVCs, only 1,004 have been collected in the last three months, representing just 0.09 percent. This shows that even reaching a one percent collection rate remains a challenge in Plateau State,” he said.