The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has projected that Nigeria’s registered voter population will exceed 100 million ahead of the 2027 general elections, as it moves to strengthen voter education, public communication and inclusivity.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mallam Mohammed Haruna, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja at a joint implementation meeting of the Departments of Voter Education and Publicity and Gender and Inclusivity.
The meeting was convened to develop a communication and inclusivity roadmap for the 2027 elections, with emphasis on ensuring that the polls are free, fair, credible, peaceful and inclusive.
Haruna said the previous voter register contained more than 93 million registered voters, but the figure was expected to cross 100 million following the completion of the nationwide Continuous Voter Registration exercise.
He said the projected voter population would make Nigeria the largest electoral democracy in Africa and place greater responsibility on INEC’s information officers.
With 151 days until the first phase of the elections, Haruna charged the officers with developing communication strategies to reach millions of eligible voters.
“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.”
He stressed that electoral communication must be professional, simple and accessible. At the same time, officers must understand the Constitution, electoral laws, INEC guidelines, the Freedom of Information Act and the Data Protection Act.
Haruna said INEC would build on lessons from recent off-cycle elections, including the Osun governorship poll, to deliver what he described as the freest and most credible general elections in the country’s history.
Also speaking, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, said the commission’s communication and voter education departments remained central to building public confidence in the electoral process.
He warned that misinformation and disinformation could undermine confidence in the 2027 elections and increase voter apathy.
Oketola said INEC would intensify civic education on electoral technologies, including the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and the INEC Results Viewing Portal, while improving public understanding of the open secret ballot system.
He also pledged greater attention to women, youths, elderly voters and persons with disabilities through measures including Braille ballot guides, magnifying glasses and priority queues.
The Director of Voter Education and Publicity, GVictoria Eta-Messi, said the meeting would ensure uniform implementation of voter education programmes across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
“The off-cycle governorship elections are out of the way, and what lies ahead is the 2027 general election.”
