The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has revealed that more than 3.5 million Nigerians have completed their online pre-registration in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration exercise.
This update was contained in a press release by Sam Olumekun, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, on Monday, September 8, 2025.
According to him, as of September 7, a total of 3,544,850 Nigerians had signed up online since the process began on August 18, 2025.
A breakdown of the figures showed Osun State leading with 518,635 registrants. Lagos followed with 440,647, Ogun with 348,217, and Borno with 296,409. Kebbi recorded 193,781, Kaduna 187,480, and the FCT 180,260. Yobe had 173,731, Kogi 166,010, Oyo 160,652, and Kwara 78,245.
Further details showed that Ekiti registered 74,423, Kano 66,091, Delta 62,192, and Imo 61,341. Sokoto had 54,084, Jigawa 48,285, Bauchi 46,504, Katsina 47,220, and Niger 62,819. Zamfara registered 32,784, Plateau 32,000, and Akwa Ibom 31,081.
At the lower end, Cross River had 22,938, Benue 20,786, Rivers 19,294, and Gombe 18,630. Taraba recorded 17,324, Bayelsa 13,374, Ondo 9,033, Adamawa 8,849, and Edo 7,893.
The South East states had the lowest numbers, with Abia at 2,629, Ebonyi at 1,616, and Enugu the least with just 1,203.
Findings show that the South West region is leading with impressive turnout, while Northern states are actively mobilizing citizens. The South East, however, is lagging behind, creating concerns among political leaders and stakeholders.
Former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai expressed worry during an event in Imo State, calling on residents of the region to take the registration exercise seriously.
He reminded them that democracy requires citizens to elect their leaders and that registering to vote is both a right and a responsibility. He also urged parents to encourage their children who are nearing voting age to register early.
Enugu APC chairman, Ugochukwu Agballah, also admitted that the South East was recording poor turnout. However, he argued that it was still too early to judge since the exercise had just begun.
He warned against last-minute rush and advised residents to register early to avoid unnecessary stress. He also urged community leaders, traditional rulers, and cultural groups to help in mobilizing people.
Agballah noted that political parties were already encouraging their members to register, since they benefit directly from voter participation.
He stressed that the South East has always influenced election results in other regions due to its strong participation in past registrations.
Public affairs analyst Nduka Odo, however, linked the poor turnout to deep political apathy in the region. He explained that many in the South East feel disconnected from Nigeria’s political system, a mindset dating back to the Biafran war.
According to him, this lack of trust discourages people from participating in voter registration. He warned that such attitudes weaken the region’s political strength and urged leaders to do more in mobilizing their people.
Similarly, Enugu lawmaker Malachy Onyechi appealed to residents to improve their participation. He said many people in the South East usually wait until the last minute to register, but awareness campaigns are ongoing in rural communities.
He pointed out that many Igbos often prioritize business over civic duties, which also affects turnout. However, he assured that with better awareness and government efforts, more people will be registered before the exercise ends.
