During a strategic workshop for media executives in Abuja, INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, revealed that Nigeria’s National Register of Voters has grown to over 103 million, following a successful three-phase Continuous Voter Registration exercise that welcomed more than 10.6 million new applicants.
Amupitan emphasized that the collection of PVCs marks a crucial step in the electoral process, aimed at enhancing transparency and credibility.
“This initiative is part of our commitment to making the electoral process more technology-driven and reliable,” he stated.
The chairman further highlighted ongoing improvements to the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and the INEC Result Viewing Portal, both designed to strengthen the integrity of the voting process and ensure that every valid vote counts.
Recognizing the importance of public trust, Amupitan stressed that confidence in the electoral process is vital for robust democratic participation.
He called for enhanced cooperation between INEC, the media, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders to ensure the dissemination of accurate information.
To combat misinformation, Amupitan urged news organizations to set up digital fact-verification desks, assuring them that INEC would provide necessary information to verify field incidents and security developments during the election period.
Mrs. Victoria Eta-Messi, INEC's Director of Voter Education and Publicity, echoed the need for timely and accurate communication, warning that misinformation could hinder citizen participation.
INEC Chief Press Secretary Adedayo Oketola reiterated the commission’s goal of strengthening mechanisms for rapid fact-checking between newsrooms and INEC.
He emphasized that the accuracy of reporting should not be sacrificed for speed, especially in the context of the elections.
Dr. Akin Akingbulu, Executive Director of the Centre for Media and Society, urged journalists to rigorously verify electoral information amid rising threats from digital manipulation, such as deepfakes.
Meanwhile, Eze Anaba, President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, stressed the importance of public-interest journalism, advocating for accuracy, fairness, and balance in reporting the 2027 elections.
He highlighted that credible elections rely not just on participation but also on the assurance that votes will be counted fairly.
As PVC collection begins, INEC aims to foster a more informed electorate, paving the way for a transparent electoral process in the coming months.
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