“The ballot box is the only medium through which the people can express their will and exercise their power.”
Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe
(First President of Nigeria)
Dear {{First name|Active Citizen}},
We talk a lot about the #OfficeOfTheCitizen. But holding that office means more than sending you newsletters. It also means showing up, including in the rooms where decisions about your participation are being made.
So that is exactly what we did.
This week, the EiE Nigeria team visited the INEC Lagos office for a meeting focused on one question: as we head into the final stretch of voter registration before 2027, how do we make sure no eligible Nigerian is left behind?
Our discussions covered three key areas;
First, strengthening voter education, because information about where to register, what to bring, and why it matters is still not reaching everyone who needs it.
Second, improving access to PVC collection. Registering is only half the journey, and too many Nigerians complete the process but never collect their card.
Third, deepening collaboration between EiE and INEC Lagos to ensure that the communities most at risk of being left out (the underserved, the underinformed, the hard-to-reach) are prioritised in the final phase of this exercise.
The conversation was frank, productive, and pointed firmly toward a shared goal: a 2027 election in which every eligible voter has a real opportunity to be heard.
We left that meeting more committed than ever.
6.5 Million and Counting, But the Job is Not Done
Since the CVR exercise began in August 2025, INEC registered 2,782,589 eligible voters during Phase 1. Phase 2, which ran from January 5 to April 17, 2026, added a further 3,748,704 completed registrations, bringing the cumulative total since the exercise began to over 6.5 million new voters on the register.
That is a significant number. But let's sit with what it might be telling us.
Data from Phase 2 showed that youths aged 18 to 34 accounted for 68.43% of all new registrations. This means that nearly 7 in 10 citizens joining the voter register are young Nigerians.
But another look at the other side of that number, and we realise that 6.5 million new registrants across two phases, in a country of over 200 million people with more than 90 million already on the existing register, means the job is far from done. Millions of eligible Nigerians remain unregistered. And for an election that may be decided by tight margins, every uncaptured voter is a gap in our collective power.
But the good news is that there is still time, and the window is opening again very soon.
Your Next Date With Democracy
Phase 3 of the CVR exercise begins next week Monday, May 4, 2026, and runs until August 17, 2026. This is the most critical window we have left. We don't want you to be the person watching the results in 2027 saying, "if only I registered for my PVC, I’d have voted." or “And I wanted to collect my voters card O”
Here is how we win this phase together:
Prioritise Your Registration: Treat May 4 as your start date. Don’t wait for the August deadline rush. Use the online pre-registration portal at cvr.inecnigeria.org to handle what you need to before heading to the office for the biometrics.
Be a Voter Evangelist: The #OfficeOfTheCitizen scales through community. If you already have your PVC, your job isn't done. Find that one friend, sibling, or colleague who keeps complaining about the country but hasn't registered. Ensure they know that May 4 is the date the window opens.
Information is Power: Share this update. Many people aren't aware that the window is opening again. By spreading the word, you are helping to build a more credible, representative register.
Collect your PVC: Did you register in 2023? Or during off-cycle elections since then? Your PVC is likely collecting dust at the INEC office. Registration is one step; collecting it is the next most important step.
We are doing everything we can to ensure the system is ready for you. On May 4 (and beyond), we need you to show up and prove that the effort is worth it. We are not just building a list of names; we are building the foundation of our democracy.
Oh, and if you encounter any challenges, send us a DM or tag us @eienigeria across all social platforms.
In service of the #OfficeOfTheCitizen
The EiE Nigeria Team.
If this newsletter resonates with you, please share it with friends, colleagues, and anyone who cares about good governance and citizenship. They can join our mailing list at eieng.co/subscribe.
Enough thinking. Enough ranting. Let's build.