By Our Reporter Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that the third and final phase of the nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise will officially resume on Monday, May 11, 2026.
The announcement, which signals a critical countdown to the consolidation of Nigeria’s electoral register ahead of future polls, comes after a brief hiatus intended to sanitize the commission’s database.
In a press statement issued on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, and signed by the Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, the electoral umpire disclosed that the upcoming window represents the definitive phase of the current nationwide registration cycle.
According to the commission, the two-month exercise will run from Monday, May 11, 2026, and will officially wind down on Friday, July 10, 2026.
The resumption follows the suspension of the second phase of the CVR on April 17, 2026. INEC explained that the temporary halt was a statutory necessity, allowing the commission to thoroughly review the national voter register following its public display for claims and objections by registrants.
This data-cleaning process ensures that duplicate entries, underage registrants, and invalid data are systematically purged from the system, thereby protecting the integrity of the voting repository.
With the cleanup phase completed, INEC is now turning its attention to eligible Nigerians who have yet to secure their place on the voter roll.
The commission explicitly urged citizens who have turned 18 years old since the last phase, as well as those who missed out on the previous opportunities, to take full advantage of this final window.
”The third phase of the CVR… will end on Friday, 10th July 2026,” the statement read. “During this period, eligible citizens who have attained the age of 18, as well as those who were unable to register during the earlier phases, should seize this opportunity to do so.”
Transfers, Corrections, and Online Access
Beyond fresh registrations, INEC highlighted that the final phase is also designed to address logistical and administrative grievances of already-registered voters.
Citizens seeking to transfer their voting rights to new locations, replace lost, defaced, or damaged Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), or rectify errors in their personal biodata are advised to utilize the commission’s digital infrastructure.
To ensure convenience and mitigate long queues at physical centers, INEC directed the public to its dedicated online portal: cvr.inecnigeria.org. For those who prefer physical interactions or lack internet access, the commission confirmed that all INEC State and Local Government Area (LGA) offices nationwide will be fully operational to handle these requests.
Following the conclusion of the registration window on July 10, INEC will embark on another crucial statutory process. The electoral body announced it will publicly display the newly updated Register of Voters for claims and objections from Thursday, July 23, to Wednesday, July 29, 2026.
This step allows the public to scrutinize the list, object to the inclusion of unqualified persons, and claim missing details. INEC emphasized that public participation during this specific week is vital to ensuring the accuracy, completeness, and overarching credibility of the final voter list.
Commission Reassures Nationwide Readiness
As expectations mount regarding the turnout for this final lap, INEC has assured the public that its logistics and personnel have been adequately prepared to deliver a seamless experience across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
”The Commission reassures Nigerians that all necessary arrangements have been concluded for the smooth conduct of the exercise,” Haruna stated. He concluded with an appeal to the populace, urging eligible citizens to actively participate and “play their part in strengthening the foundation of our electoral process.”
Political analysts and civil society organizations (CSOs) have already begun reacting to the announcement, calling on political parties and community leaders to mobilize potential voters, particularly the youth, to ensure high participation before the July deadline.
