INEC: 2026 Registrants' PVCs Not Yet Ready, Lagos REC Says

Voters who registered between Jan. 5 and July 26, 2026 cannot yet collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said on Tuesday, adding that collection dates would be announced through its official channels.

 

Prof. Ayobami Salami, INEC's Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Lagos State, said this at a news conference in Lagos on the commission's preparations for the 2027 general elections.

 

"For clarity, PVCs are currently available for persons who registered between 25th August and 10th December, 2025, as well as those who registered between 2011 and 2022 but have yet to collect their cards, subject to the Commission's records.

 

"However, PVCs for persons who registered between 5th January and 26th July, 2026 are not yet available.

 

"The collection of their cards will be announced through official channels in due course," he said.

 

Salami urged voters whose cards are ready to collect them promptly and keep them safe, noting that the PVC remains essential for accreditation on Election Day.

 

According to the REC, PVC distribution began nationwide on Oct. 9. In Lagos, all 245 Registration Areas (RAs) across the state's 20 Local Government Areas (LGAs) are serving as collection centres.

 

He said INEC Lagos had introduced a Quick Response (QR) code initiative to help voters find their designated collection centres.

 

Salami also urged registered voters to check their details during the ongoing display of the Register of Voters, which began on Oct. 9 and ends on Oct. 15. He said the exercise was being held across the state's 245 RAs in line with Section 19(1) of the Electoral Act 2026.

 

"The exercise enables registered voters to verify their particulars and identify discrepancies for necessary action.

 

"In Lagos State, the Register is being displayed across the 245 Registration Areas/Wards.

 

"To facilitate access, INEC Lagos has introduced a QR-code initiative, enabling citizens to identify their designated display centres," he said.

 

The REC described Lagos as central to Nigeria's electoral landscape. He said the state has 7,488,633 registered voters, the highest number in the country, along with 20 LGAs, 245 RAs and 13,325 polling units, all of which require extensive planning and coordination.

 

He said INEC's priorities in the state included strengthening logistics, security coordination, personnel deployment, voter education and contingency arrangements.

 

"In Lagos State, our preparations take account of population density, traffic conditions, riverine communities and other logistical challenges.

 

"Attention is being given to transportation, storage, electoral facilities, personnel deployment and contingency arrangements to ensure that Polling Units are ready to commence activities as scheduled.

 

"Security remains integral to these arrangements," he said.

 

 

Salami said preparations were progressing nationwide, with nine of the 14 statutory milestones in the revised timetable and schedule of activities completed as of Oct. 6.

 

He put the national register of voters at about 103 million and said the commission was advancing procurement and quality assurance for critical electoral infrastructure. This, he said, includes 57,000 new Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices, information and communication technology facilities, storage facilities and improvements to electoral offices.

 

A mock accreditation and election simulation exercise is scheduled for November to further test the commission's readiness, he said.

 

According to the REC, nationwide logistics cover 176,846 polling units and 8,809 RAs, supported by more than 100,000 vehicles and about 4,000 boats.

 

He said sensitive materials were expected to reach LGAs 72 hours before Election Day, while deployment to Registration Area Centres and Super Registration Area Centres would be completed by 4.00 p.m. on the eve of the election.

 

Salami said the Nigeria Police, as the lead agency, was coordinating with other security and intelligence agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES).

 

He said the commission was also strengthening election risk management and working with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) and the Federal Ministry of Justice to tackle vote buying, illicit campaign financing and other electoral offences.

 

Engagements with political parties on financial reporting, auditing and campaign finance compliance would be intensified between Oct. 28 and Jan. 1, 2027, he said.

 

"I hereby appeal to political parties, candidates, and their supporters, to conduct their activities peacefully and in accordance with the law," he said.

 

The REC said voter education and inclusive participation, particularly among women, young people and persons with disabilities, remained key priorities.

 

He said the commission was expanding grassroots engagement through community meetings, engagements in tertiary institutions, public debates, mobile cinema and collaboration with the National Orientation Agency. Accessibility measures, he added, include Braille materials, EC30 posters, magnifying glasses and sign-language interpretation at state collation centres.

 

"In Lagos State, voter education will continue across communities, markets, educational institutions, religious organisations and other relevant platforms," he said.

 

Salami expressed concern over misinformation, disinformation, deepfakes and AI-generated content, warning that they could undermine public confidence in elections. He urged media organisations to verify electoral information through official INEC channels before publishing it, especially information on electoral procedures, commission decisions and results.

 

"Unofficial projections and privately collated figures must not be presented as results formally declared by authorised electoral officials," he said.

 

He said the Media Accreditation Portal was expected to go live before the end of October, with further guidelines to follow through official channels.

 

On staffing, the REC said recruitment, training and deployment of electoral personnel were progressing. The INECPRES recruitment portal opened on Sept. 18 and is scheduled to close on Nov. 18. He said training and readiness assessments would continue, and that the commission had completed readiness assessments in the South-West and North-West geopolitical zones.

 

Salami called on residents and stakeholders to take an active part in the process.

 

"As we approach the elections, I call on Lagos residents to take an active interest in the process; verify their registration details before the display exercise closes, collect their PVCs when available, and rely on official INEC information.

 

"I particularly encourage citizens to use the QR codes provided by INEC Lagos Office to identify designated locations for the display of the Register of Voters and PVC collection.

 

"Political parties, civil society organisations, traditional and religious leaders, youth groups and other stakeholders are equally encouraged to promote peaceful participation and responsible civic conduct," he said.

 

He reaffirmed the commission's commitment to transparent, inclusive, peaceful and credible elections through proper planning, coordination, professionalism, impartiality and accountability, and urged the media to sustain accurate reporting and public enlightenment.

 

Credible elections, he said, require a prepared commission, informed voters, responsible stakeholders and a peaceful environment.