Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has shifted voter registration to the ward level in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to enhance accessibility ahead of the upcoming area council elections.
According to the INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, “The devolved registration will commence on Monday, 29th September, and end on Wednesday, 8th October, 2025.”
This move aligns with INEC’s strategy to bring registration closer to communities, as seen in preparations for the 2024 Edo and Ondo governorship elections and the upcoming November 8, 2025, Anambra governorship election.
The registration, previously limited to INEC’s FCT office and six area council offices, will now expand to all 62 wards, creating 69 registration centers. Olumekun noted, “The online pre-registration option in the FCT will be suspended on Monday, Sept. 15, to enable all pre-registrants to complete their registration at the designated physical (in-person) centres.”
He emphasized that online pre-registration alone is invalid without in-person verification.
Voter registration in the FCT will halt on October 8, 2025, in compliance with Section 9(6) of the Electoral Act 2022, which mandates suspension 90 days before elections. The FCT area council election is set for February 21, 2026.
Post-election, both online and in-person registration will resume until August 2026, when the nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) will pause ahead of the 2027 general election.
Olumekun encouraged eligible citizens to take advantage of the ward-level registration, stating, “Citizens who are registered voters elsewhere in the country may also transfer their registration to the FCT, or to other parts of the FCT of their preference.”
He warned, however, that “no person should register more than once as double or multiple registration is a punishable offence under the law.”
The list of registration centers is available on INEC’s website and official platforms.
Olumekun urged residents to participate en masse before the deadline to ensure their voices are heard in the upcoming elections.
