Oluwafunbi Bello 
ABUJA, Nigeria – Youths and women dominate Nigeria’s ongoing voter registration drive, with over 3.4 million new voters added to the electoral roll, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says.
In its week 13 update released on Wednesday, INEC reports 3,441,121 completed registrations under the Continuous Voter Registration exercise, combining online pre-registration and physical enrolment nationwide.
INEC National Commissioner Sam Olumekun says, “a total of 3,441,121 registrations has been completed… covering both online pre-registrations and physical walk-ins.”
He adds that 2,068,384 citizens registered online, while 1,372,737 completed in-person registration.
State data shows Jigawa leads with 201,047 new voters, followed by Lagos with 181,095 and Kano with 177,681.
Young Nigerians aged 18 to 34 account for 2,354,768 registrations—68.43 per cent—highlighting strong youth engagement in the electoral process.
Women outnumber men, with 1,922,143 registrations (55.86 per cent) compared to 1,518,978 males (44.14 per cent), signalling a widening gender participation gap.
Students represent the largest occupational group, accounting for 35.92 per cent of registrants, followed by business owners and those in agriculture.
INEC also records 48,330 Persons with Disabilities, reflecting ongoing inclusion efforts.
Olumekun notes the figures remain provisional pending data clean-up and biometric verification.
“This is a preliminary figure… followed by the deployment of the Automated Biometric Identification System,” he says.
He urges eligible Nigerians to complete registration before the deadline, even as analysts question how increased enrollment will translate into voter turnout.
About the Author
Oluwatobi Adu 
Koko Maxwella 
Edino Chubiyo Cornelius