INEC removes over 1.6 million invalid names from voter register ahead of 2027 elections

• INEC has uncovered widespread irregularities in its voter register.

• 54 people across 10 states have been flagged.

• The commission has set a deadline for final verification.

More than 1.6 million invalid voter registrations have been removed from Nigeria's preliminary voters' register following a nationwide screening by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The cleanup comes after weeks of public complaints about missing names, duplicate identities and suspicious photographs in the register.

Nigerians who examined the database began sharing screenshots of unusual photographs attached to voter records. Some images appeared to have been generated using artificial intelligence (AI), while other users complained that their names were missing despite having registered.

There were also reports of duplicate identities, with some records allegedly carrying similar personal information but different photographs, raising questions about the reliability of the database Nigerians will use for the next general elections.

The commission's review covered 11,088,238 registration records collected during the three phases of the 2025/2026 Continuous Voter Registration exercise.

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According to the INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, INEC's Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) initially flagged 1,545,052 records for further examination.

Subsequent screening and complaints from members of the public helped the commission identify additional questionable registrations.

By the end of the exercise, 1,608,660 invalid registrations had been removed. INEC also separately expunged 873 records belonging to verified deceased voters.

Announcing the figures on Monday, November 9, 2026, during a press briefing in Abuja, Amupitan also revealed that 54 people across 10 states had been identified over their alleged involvement in registration irregularities.

INEC later acknowledged that some registration officers had allegedly abused their access to the database by uploading questionable records.

On October 30, the commission's Director of Information and Communication Technology, Dr Lawrence Bayode, explained that some officers used their official login credentials to introduce fake and AI-generated photographs. He said the commission was investigating how the records entered the system.

In a separate development, the commission had also faced warnings about possible attempts to compromise the electoral process ahead of 2027.

Former Resident Electoral Commissioner Mike Igini had raised concerns about alleged plans to infiltrate the NYSC list with unauthorised individuals who could participate in election duties.

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Meanwhile, INEC said the 54 people identified in its latest investigation could face disciplinary action, including prosecution, depending on the outcome of further investigations.

The commission is expected to complete its final reconciliation and quality assurance processes before certifying the final Register of Voters on December 15, 2026, ahead of the 2027 general elections.