2027: Osun Leads As 2.5m Nigerians Complete Online Voter Pre-Registration
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disclosed that over 2.5 million Nigerians have completed their online voter pre-registration since the commencement of the nationwide Continuous Voter Registration exercise on August 18, 2025.
In a statement on Tuesday, the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, said that as of Sunday, August 31, a total of 2,532,062 Nigerians had successfully pre-registered.
According to him, 1,218,482, representing 48.12 per cent of the applicants, are male, while 1,313,580, accounting for 51.88 per cent, are female. A significant majority, 1,602,484 (63.29 per cent), fall within the 18 to 34 age bracket, while 647,528 (25.57 per cent) are students.
Olumekun stressed that the online pre-registration was only the first step in the process and must be concluded in person at INEC offices nationwide.
“All online pre-registrants are required to appear physically at any of our 811 state and local government offices, where their fingerprints and facial biometrics will be captured. This instruction is clearly stated on the online portal,” he said.
Data released by the commission showed Osun State leading with 474,372 pre-registrations, followed by Lagos with 355,372 and Ogun with 265,399. Other high-ranking states include the FCT with 152,250, Borno with 135,661, Oyo with 128,231 and Kaduna with 127,852. By contrast, Enugu and Ebonyi recorded the lowest numbers with 856 and 490, respectively.
The in-person registration, which commenced on August 25, has also begun to gain momentum. As of August 29, 72,274 applicants had completed their registration, either by finalising their pre-registration or registering afresh. Of this figure, 35,622 (49.29 per cent) were male and 36,652 (50.71 per cent) female, while young Nigerians between the ages of 18 and 34 accounted for 54,718 (75.71 per cent).
Olumekun commended civic groups that have mobilised participation, saying, “The commission appreciates the positive response of citizens and the efforts of organisations that have encouraged civic engagement.”
The exercise has, however, attracted controversy. The African Democratic Congress and the Labour Party have raised concerns over what they described as unusually high figures recorded in the South-West, particularly Osun.
The ADC, in a statement by its Acting National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, demanded a forensic audit of the figures, claiming that the numbers contradicted demographic trends. Similarly, the LP’s Interim National Publicity Secretary, Tony Akeni, urged Nigerians to scrutinise INEC’s claims, warning that such anomalies should not be ignored.
INEC dismissed the allegations, describing them as baseless. The Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, said the opposition parties’ concerns stemmed from a lack of understanding of historical registration patterns.
Sodiq Lawal is a passionate and dedicated journalist with a knack for uncovering captivating stories in the bustling metropolis of Osun State and Nigeria at large. He has a versatile reporting style, covering a wide range of topics, from politics , campus, and social issues to arts and culture, seeking impact in all facets of the society.
