INEC Reports Strong Turnout as Over 2.5 Million Nigerians Pre-Register Online

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced a significant milestone in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, with over 2.5 million Nigerians completing their online pre-registration since the process began on August 18. This positive response reflects a growing civic interest in the upcoming elections.

According to Mr. Sam Olumekun, INEC's National Commissioner for Information and Voter Education, the data shows that a majority of the online registrants are young people and students. Of the total figure, 63.29% are between the ages of 18 and 34, while 25.57% are students. The online pre-registration also shows a balanced gender distribution, with 51.88% of registrants being female.

In addition to the online numbers, INEC has recorded a strong start to the in-person registration, which commenced on August 25. In just five days, 72,274 citizens have either completed their online pre-registration or registered afresh at designated centers. The in-person registration also shows a near-equal split between male (49.29%) and female (50.71%) participants.

The commission has commended the positive public response and the efforts of various organizations that have been mobilizing citizens to participate in the exercise. This encouraging turnout underscores the importance of the CVR in ensuring all eligible Nigerians have the opportunity to exercise their right to vote and contribute to the nation's democratic process.