The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has revealed that more than 69,000 Nigerians pre-registered online for the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) within the first seven hours of the exercise.

In a statement issued on Monday, August 18, by Sam Olumekun, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, the commission confirmed that the registration portal went live at 8:30 a.m., and by 3:30 p.m., a total of 69,376 applications had already been recorded.

Breaking down the numbers, INEC disclosed that:

33,803 registrants (48.7%) are male

35,573 registrants (51.3%) are female

48,033 registrants (69.2%) are young people aged 18–34

Olumekun further explained that the CVR portal is available 24/7 at https://cvr.inecnigeria.org, making it easier for Nigerians to register from anywhere.

For those who prefer in-person registration, physical enrollment will begin on Monday, August 25, 2025, across 811 state and local government offices nationwide, between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. on weekdays. This will also allow online applicants to complete their registration.

INEC also assured Nigerians that it will provide weekly updates on the CVR, including detailed statistics by state, gender, age, occupation, and disability.

The commission, however, reminded citizens that registration is strictly for Nigerians aged 18 and above who have never registered before. Attempting double or multiple registration is illegal. Nonetheless, those seeking to transfer their registration across or within states, or to replace lost or damaged voter cards, are eligible to do so during this exercise.

This early surge in participation shows that many Nigerians—especially the youth—are eager to be part of the electoral process ahead of the next elections.