The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says the third phase of the continuous voter registration (CVR) exercise will begin on May 11. INEC commenced the first phase of the CVR on August 18, 2025, with online pre-registration, followed by in-person registration on August 25.
The interval between the phases is used to carry out statutory activities required by law, including the display of the voter register for claims and objections. According to the INEC’s timetable for the registration and display of the voter register, the third phase of the exercise was initially scheduled to begin on May 4, 2026.
However, Mohammed Haruna, INEC national commissioner and chairman of the information and voter education committee, the third phase would kick off on May 11 and end on July 10.
Haruna said the change in the dates was due to the adjustment in the timelines of the major electoral activities.
INEC had revised the timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general election following adjustments to statutory timelines governing pre-election and electoral activities introduced in the Electoral Act, 2026.
“The final register has to be ready for INEC to distribute to the political parties 90 days before the general election. We would need enough time to integrate the new registrants with the old,” he said.
On conclusion of the previous phase, Victoria Etta-Messi, INEC’s director of voter education and publicity, had urged registrants to participate actively in the verification process.
