The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced a significant increase in voter enrolment under the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, revealing that more than 1.2 million Nigerians have registered in the second phase of the programme.
In an update shared on its official X platform on Thursday, the Commission disclosed that as of February 13, 2026, a total of 1,228,648 eligible voters had successfully completed registration during Phase II, Week Six of the exercise. This marks a sharp rise from the 884,737 registrants recorded at the end of Week Five.
According to INEC, 673,124 applicants began the process through its online pre-registration portal, while 555,524 individuals finalised their registration at designated physical centres nationwide.
A state-by-state breakdown shows that Jigawa recorded the highest number of new registrants with 98,698 voters, representing 8.03 per cent of the total. Lagos State followed with 86,307, alongside Sokoto (77,004) and Kano (71,990).
Women accounted for the majority of new registrants, with 696,891 (57 per cent), compared to 531,757 men (43 per cent). Youth participation was also dominant, as Nigerians aged 18 to 34 made up 848,066 registrants, 69.02 per cent of the total.
INEC further disclosed that 19,414 Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) registered during the exercise.
The Commission noted that the CVR is ongoing nationwide except in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), where registration has been suspended in line with the Electoral Act ahead of the February 21, 2026 Area Council elections.
Phase II of the CVR began on January 5, 2026, and is scheduled to continue until April 2026. It follows Phase I, conducted between August and December 2025, during which about 2.78 million new voters were added to the national register.
