By Faith Anisiobi, The Sight News
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has projected that Nigeria’s registered voting population will exceed 100 million ahead of the 2027 general elections, positioning the country as the largest electoral democracy in Africa.
Mallam Mohammed Haruna, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), revealed this development on Tuesday during the “Joint Implementation Meeting of the Departments of Voter Education and Publicity (VEP) and Gender and Inclusivity (G&I) for the 2027 General Elections”, held in Abuja.
The meeting aimed to draft a comprehensive communication and inclusivity roadmap to ensure that the 2027 elections are free, fair, credible, peaceful, and inclusive. Haruna highlighted that with the previous voter register standing at over 93 million, the recently concluded nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) is expected to push the figure beyond 100 million.
With just 151 days remaining until the first phase of the general elections, Haruna tasked INEC information officers with the critical responsibility of delivering effective publicity to mobilize all eligible Nigerian voters. He emphasized the complexity of this task, stating, “Our job is to give the widest and most effective publicity to all five sets of elections to mobilise all Nigerians of voting age to choose their leaders.”
Haruna underscored the importance of professionalism and legal knowledge in managing communication for such a vast electorate. He urged information officers to be well-versed in the country’s Constitution, Electoral Law, Commission’s Guidelines, as well as other relevant legislation such as the Freedom of Information and Data Protection Acts.
Building on the success of recent off-cycle elections, including the Osun governorship poll, Haruna called for intensified efforts to deliver the freest and most credible general elections in Nigeria’s history.
For his part, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr. Adedayo Oketola, reiterated the commission’s commitment to credible and inclusive elections under the leadership of Prof. Joash Amupitan. He described the joint meeting as timely and vital for crafting an actionable communication and inclusivity strategy.
Oketola highlighted that while technological infrastructure and logistics form the backbone of electoral administration, the departments of Voter Education and Publicity and Gender and Inclusivity represent the human face and voice of INEC. “You build public trust, simplify complex procedures, and ensure that no eligible citizen is left behind,” he said.
He also warned of challenges posed by misinformation and disinformation in the lead-up to 2027, stressing that proactive, factual, and continuous public engagement is essential to counter these threats. Oketola called for a shift from traditional announcement-style publicity to aggressive, daily civic education that demystifies electoral technologies such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and INEC Results Viewing (IReV), reinforcing the integrity of the open secret ballot system.
On gender and inclusivity, Oketola reaffirmed that electoral access for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), women, youths, and elderly voters is a constitutional right. He highlighted measures such as Braille ballot guides, magnifying glasses, prioritizing vulnerable queues, and expanding youth participation through CVR as critical to setting a new benchmark for electoral access in Nigeria.
Also speaking, Victoria Eta-Messi, Director of Voter Education and Publicity, emphasized that the success of voter sensitization and enlightenment at the grassroots depends heavily on the capacity and efficiency of state heads of department. She noted that the meeting provides clarity and direction for uniform task execution ahead of the 2027 elections.
“The off-cycle governorship elections are behind us, and the 2027 general election lies ahead. This meeting sets the tone and provides a platform to walk participants through commission-approved activities, highlight implementation strategies, and ensure timelines and expectations are clearly understood,” Eta-Messi said.
The meeting was attended by heads of departments of VEP and G&I from all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), underscoring the nationwide commitment to a credible, inclusive, and well-communicated electoral process in 2027.
