The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has devolved the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise to the Ward level within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), a move aimed at bringing the process closer to citizens ahead of the 2026 Area Council elections.
In a press statement issued on Friday, Sam Olumekun, the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, announced that the decision aligns with the Commission’s policy of expanding access before major off-cycle elections. This was a strategy previously employed before the Edo and Ondo governorship elections in 2020 and more recently in Anambra State.
Physical registration, which had been confined to the FCT office and the six Area Council offices, will now be extended to all 62 Wards of the Territory. This expansion increases the total number of registration centers to 69. The devolved exercise is scheduled to run from Monday, 29th September, to Wednesday, 8th October 2025.
Mr. Olumekun also disclosed that the online pre-registration option for the FCT will be suspended on Monday, 15th September 2025. This suspension is intended to ensure that all online applicants have the opportunity to complete their registration in person, as an online application without physical completion is considered invalid.
He further clarified that the CVR process in the FCT will be officially suspended on Wednesday, 8th October 2025, in compliance with Section 9(6) of the Electoral Act 2022. This section mandates that the registration process must conclude no later than 90 days before an election. The FCT Area Council election is slated for Saturday, 21st February 2026. Registration will resume after the FCT election and continue until August 2026, when the nationwide CVR is suspended in preparation for the 2027 General Election.
The IVEC Chairman appealed to eligible citizens to take advantage of this opportunity to register or transfer their registration. He also issued a strong warning against double or multiple registration, emphasizing that it is a punishable offense under the law. Residents of the FCT were urged to note the new dates and locations and turn out in large numbers to register before the deadline.
