The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the postponement of its planned nationwide voter revalidation exercise until after the 2027 general election.
The decision was disclosed in a statement issued on Friday by the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, following a meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs).
According to the commission, the proposed exercise was extensively reviewed during the meeting, after which it was resolved that the revalidation process would be deferred until after the 2027 elections.
INEC described the exercise as a critical component of its constitutional mandate to maintain a credible and up-to-date National Register of Voters.
It explained that the revalidation process is designed to verify and update voter records, ensure accuracy of personal data, eliminate duplicate and ineligible entries, and strengthen the overall integrity of the voter register.
The commission added that the exercise would also provide registered voters with the opportunity to confirm their details and make necessary corrections.
Originally scheduled to run between April 13 and May 19, 2026, in three phases across local government, ward, and polling unit levels, the exercise aimed to sanitize the voter register by removing duplicate, underage, deceased, and otherwise ineligible entries.
INEC, however, reaffirmed its commitment to delivering free, fair, credible, and inclusive elections, noting that the postponement is intended to ensure adequate preparation and a smooth build-up to the 2027 polls.
Meanwhile, the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise is set to run from April 2026 to January 2027, alongside the continued deployment of electoral technologies, including the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and a hybrid results transmission system.
The 2027 general elections have been scheduled for 16 January for the Presidential and National Assembly polls, and February 6 for the Governorship and State Assembly elections.
