Nigeria’s 2027 presidential election is taking shape against a significantly expanded voter register, with the number of registered voters rising to 103.43 million.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said the register now contains 103,428,715 voters, an increase of nearly 10 million from the 93,469,008 registered for the 2023 general election. The latest figure followed three phases of Continuous Voter Registration and a biometric verification exercise. (Business Day)
President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), and Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) are among the leading figures in the presidential contest, alongside candidates from other registered political parties.
Lagos, Kano and Kaduna dominate voter register
The distribution of registered voters shows that a relatively small number of states account for a substantial share of Nigeria’s electorate.
Lagos has the highest number of registered voters at 7,488,633, followed by Kano with 6,570,276 and Kaduna with 4,662,640.
Katsina has 3,876,051 registered voters, while Rivers has 3,736,434. Together, Lagos, Kano and Kaduna account for more than 18.7 million registered voters. (The Guardian Nigeria)
At the regional level, the North-West has the largest voter population with 25.08 million registered voters, representing about 24.25 percent of the national register. The South-West follows with 19.61 million, while the South-East has the smallest regional total at about 11.98 million. (The Guardian Nigeria)
Younger and middle-aged voters form majority
INEC’s data also shows that voters between 18 and 49 years make up the largest share of the register.
Voters aged 35 to 49 account for 43,265,946, or 41.83 percent, while those aged 18 to 34 number 29,777,576, representing 28.79 percent.
Together, the two groups account for more than 73 million registered voters, making them the largest age demographic ahead of the election. (Premium Times Nigeria)
Voters aged 50 to 69 account for about 22.22 percent of the register, while those aged 70 and above represent 7.16 percent.
2027 election approaches
The presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, while governorship and State House of Assembly elections are scheduled for February 6. (INEC Nigeria)
INEC has said the voter register will be displayed for public scrutiny, allowing registered voters to verify their details and raise claims or objections.
With more than 103 million voters now on the register, the distribution of the electorate across states and age groups will be an important feature of the political campaigns as parties prepare for the 2027 polls.
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Meta Description: Nigeria’s voter register has risen to 103.4 million ahead of the 2027 election, with Lagos, Kano and Kaduna recording the largest voter populations.
