…INEC: Over 64% of New Registrants Are Between 18 and 34 Years
By Jeremy Fregene
Nigeria’s youths are positioning themselves as a decisive force in the 2027 general elections, with fresh data from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) showing that more than 64 percent of new registrants fall within the 18–34 age bracket.
In its latest update on the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, INEC reported that 3,544,850 Nigerians had pre-registered online within three weeks of the exercise, which began on August 18. Of these, 1,709,933 (48.24 percent) were male and 1,834,917 (51.76 percent) were female.
Significantly, 2,291,809 (64.65 percent) of the online registrants are aged between 18 and 34, while students alone accounted for 882,441 (39.55 percent).
The commission further disclosed that as of September 4, 288,614 Nigerians had completed their physical registration since the in-person process commenced on August 25. Of this number, 132,634 (45.96 percent) were male and 155,980 (54.04 percent) were female.
Again, young Nigerians dominated the figures, with 215,414 (74.64 percent) of those who completed their registration falling within the 18–34 age group. Students made up 114,150 (39.55 percent) of the total.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, said the detailed breakdown of registrations by state, gender, age, occupation, and disability had been uploaded to the commission’s website and official platforms.
He commended citizens and civic groups for their strong mobilisation efforts, noting that the surge in youth participation signals renewed public interest in shaping the nation’s democratic future.
Olumekun, however, stressed that voter registration is strictly for citizens who are 18 years and above at the time of registration. “It is illegal for anyone to encourage underage registration or those below 18 years of age to register in anticipation that they will attain the legal age of voting by 2027,” he warned.
Excited by the numbers showing overwhelming youth interest, Chris Akpodiete, a lawyer, said the next general election could witness an unprecedented generational showdown, as millions of first-time voters prepare to assert their influence at the ballot box.