Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday launched a grassroots sensitisation programme in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as part of preparations for a decentralised voter registration exercise beginning on Monday.
The exercise, which will run from 29 September to 8 October, will take place across 62 electoral wards in the FCT’s six area councils. Registration centres are expected to operate daily, including weekends, between 9:00 am and 3:00 pm.
INEC officials and National Youth Service Corps members visited major markets in the FCT, where they distributed flyers, responded to enquiries, and guided residents through procedures for voter card transfers, replacements of lost or damaged permanent voter cards (PVCs), and fresh enrolments.
Stakeholder meetings were also convened at the council level to secure support for the ward-based exercise. According to INEC, the initiative is aimed at bringing the registration process closer to communities and reducing barriers to participation
Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) allows Nigerians aged 18 and above to register, update their information, or replace PVCs.
The FCT, with an estimated population of over three million people, has struggled in the past with low turnout and uneven access between urban and rural areas.
To address these challenges, INEC last month devolved registration to ward level and suspended its online pre-registration platform on 15 September. In-person registration is now prioritised at 69 designated centres, including local council offices.
The decision followed staff training sessions, security consultations with the police, and a roadshow on 17 September to mobilise residents.
FCT Resident Electoral Commissioner, Malam Aminu Kasimu Idris, said the commission had engaged disability groups to ensure accessibility measures such as ramps and sign language interpreters at registration sites.
INEC has urged all eligible residents to take advantage of the opportunity while cautioning against multiple registrations.
Updated voter rolls from the exercise will form the basis of the 2026 area council elections in the FCT and other future polls.
