Residents of Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory face a key change in the voter registration process as the Independent National Electoral Commission prepares for the 2026 FCT Area Council Election. The commission has announced the suspension of the online pre-registration option for new voters in the FCT, effective from 11.59pm on Monday, 15th September 2025. This move aims to allow those who have already pre-registered to complete their registrations in person at designated centres.
The decision forms part of broader efforts to ensure a smooth buildup to the election scheduled for Saturday, 21st February 2026, where voters will elect chairmen and councillors across the six area councils and 62 wards. With Nigeria’s total registered voters standing at over 93 million as of the 2023 general election, the FCT alone has seen significant activity in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration exercise. Nationwide, more than 3.5 million Nigerians have completed online pre-registrations since the CVR began on 18th August 2025, with the FCT contributing 107,682 in the first week alone, representing 7.81 percent of the initial 1.379 million total.
This suspension applies specifically to new voter pre-registrations in the FCT and does not affect the in-person registration option, which remains available until the end of the CVR exercise on 8th October 2025. All residents of the FCT who wish to pre-register before visiting the INEC registration centres to complete the process are encouraged to avail themselves of this opportunity before the deadline. The in-person option is however available till the end of the CVR exercise.
To support this shift, INEC has devolved physical registration to ward level across the FCT. The physical registration, previously limited to the FCT office and six area council offices, now extends to all 62 wards, bringing the total number of centres to 69. This devolved registration will commence on Monday, 29th September 2025, and end on Wednesday, 8th October 2025. The list and addresses of these 69 centres have been published on INEC’s official website and other platforms for easy access by residents.
The online CVR portal remains fully operational for other services tailored to FCT residents. It is still available to all FCT residents who wish to transfer their Polling Units, or update their details, or request for the reprint of their PVCs. The CVR portal is cvr.inecnigeria.org. Eligible citizens who have not yet registered are urged to use the in-person centres during the devolved period, while registered voters can transfer within the FCT or from other states without issue. No person should register more than once, as double or multiple registration is a punishable offence under the law.
This suspension aligns with Section 9(6) of the Electoral Act 2022, which requires voter registration to end not later than 90 days before the election date. Please note that all voter registration activities will be suspended on 8th October 2025, in the FCT. After this, online and in-person registration will resume following the FCT election and continue until August 2026, when the nationwide CVR will also suspend ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The FCT Area Council Election on 21st February 2026 will involve voting at 8:30am across all polling units in the territory, with eligible voters casting ballots at their registered locations. A total of 637 candidates from 17 political parties are set to compete for 68 seats, including six chairmanship positions and 62 councillorship roles. Nomination forms for these positions were submitted via INEC’s online portal by 6:00pm on the deadline, with supporting documents like Form EC9 and academic credentials now on display at INEC offices in the six area councils.
Nationwide CVR trends show strong participation, particularly from youth and women. Of the initial 1.379 million online pre-registrations from 18th to 24th August 2025, 860,286 or 62.37 percent were from individuals aged 18 to 34, while women made up 54.04 percent of the 288,614 physical registrations recorded by 4th September 2025. Osun State led with 393,269 online pre-registrations (28.51 percent), followed by Lagos at 222,205 (16.11 percent), Ogun at 132,823 (9.63 percent), and the FCT at 107,682 (7.81 percent). By 7th September 2025, the cumulative online pre-registrations reached 3,544,850, with physical biometric capture ongoing at 811 centres nationwide from 9:00am to 3:00pm, Monday to Friday.
The exercise targets Nigerian citizens aged 18 and above who are not yet registered, with services including new registrations, updates, transfers, and PVC replacements. Physical registration started on 25th August 2025 at local government and state offices. INEC emphasises that the process is invalid without completing biometric capture in person, and underage registration is illegal.
INEC, making your voters count, consolidating our democracy. This initiative underscores the commission’s commitment to expanding voter access in the FCT, where urban growth and migration demand updated rolls. With 171 requests received for new political party registrations assessed under Section 222 of the 1999 Constitution and Sections 79(1,2,4) of the Electoral Act 2022, the electoral landscape continues to evolve ahead of these polls. Residents are advised to visit cvr.inecnigeria.org for status checks, centre locations, and further guidance to ensure their participation in shaping local governance.
