Over 1.6 million Nigerians have registered online for PVC

1,609,981 people have pre-registered online for a permanent voter card (PVC) in nearly two months, according to new statistics released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday, August 9, 2021.

The agency launched an online portal on June 28 for Nigerians to commence the registration process ahead of a full physical registration exercise which commenced on July 26.

Osun has recorded the highest number of applicants with 319,520 pre-registering online after seven weeks.

A total of 195,591 people have completed registration two weeks after the full in-person phase commenced at all 811 State and Local Government Area offices nationwide.

113,041 of the applicants that have completed registration are male, and 82,500 female.

139,002 of them are youths aged between 18 years and 34, and 80,334 are students.

"The commission appeals to all eligible citizens to seize the opportunity of both the online and in-person processes to register as voters," INEC said on Monday.

The exercise is also open for those who want to transfer voting location, correct data issues, and replace lost or damaged PVC.

Nigeria currently has over 84 million registered voters, and INEC is targeting the registration of at least 20 million new ones.

The Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) exercise will be suspended in June 2022, months before the 2023 general elections.