2027: INEC lists states with highest registered voters - Punch Newspapers

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joash Amupitan. Photo: INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission has stated that Lagos, Kano and Kaduna have the highest number of registered voters ahead of the 2027 general elections. INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed this at a stakeholders meeting and press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, while giving an update on the national voters’ register. Amupitan said the register now contains more than 103 million voters following the completion of the commission’s three-phase Continuous Voter Registration exercise and biometric clean-up. He said Lagos tops the list with 7,488,633 registered voters, followed by Kano with 6,570,276 and Kaduna with 4,662,640. “The top 10 states by number of registered voters are Lagos State in first position with 7,488,633 registered voters; followed by Kano State with 6,570,276. Next is Kaduna State with 4,662,640 voters. Next is Katsina State with 3,876,051,” Amupitan said. He listed Rivers as the fifth state with 3,736,434 registered voters, followed by Oyo with 3,588,111 and Delta with 3,525,988. “Benue State 3,057,225. Ogun State 3,037,981. And then the 10th is Bauchi State, with 3,012,547,” the INEC chairman said. The three-phase CVR exercise recorded 10,772,421 new registrations before the final biometric verification and clean-up of the register.See more Punch stories on Google.Add Punch on Google INEC has also scheduled nationwide collection of newly issued Permanent Voter Cards to commence on October 9, 2026. At the bottom of the table is Ekiti State with 1,055,708 registered voters, followed by Bayelsa with 1,200,691. The Federal Capital Territory ranks third from the bottom with 1,732,043 registered voters, followed by Ondo with 1,733,641 and Gombe with 1,768,560. Amupitan said the total number of registered voters stood at 103,428,715. Giving a demographic breakdown of the register, the INEC chairman said male voters numbered 53,528,218, representing 51.75 per cent, while female voters stood at 49,900,497, representing 48.25 per cent. FULL LIST: Outstanding teachers, schools that won FG’s 2026 President’s awards 2027: Otti warns against violence during electioneering campaign Tinubu mourns popular religious leader Nafiu Baba-Ahmed He said voters aged between 35 and 49 years constituted the largest age group, with 43,265,946 voters, representing 41.83 per cent of the register. He added that those aged between 18 and 34 years numbered 29,777,576, representing 28.79 per cent, while voters aged between 50 and 69 years accounted for 22,982,900, or 22.22 per cent. Voters aged 70 years and above constituted the smallest age group, with 7,402,291, representing 7.16 per cent. The commission also recorded 232,658 persons with disabilities across 10 categories, representing about 0.23 per cent of the total register. Amupitan said the largest category was classified as “others”, with 101,183 voters, representing 43.49 per cent of registered persons with disabilities. This was followed by persons with albinism with 44,023, representing 18.92 per cent, and those with physical impairment with 27,141, representing 11.67 per cent. The register also contains 19,936 persons with visual impairment, representing 8.57 per cent, and 14,326 persons with hearing impairment, representing 6.16 per cent. According to the INEC chairman, 8,832 voters are registered under autism, representing 3.80 per cent, while 7,723 are classified as having cognitive or learning disabilities, representing 3.32 per cent. He said 5,755 voters were classified under limb impairment, representing 2.47 per cent, while Down syndrome accounted for 2,008 voters, or 0.89 per cent, and spinal cord injury 1,656, or 0.71 per cent. Amupitan further announced that, in compliance with Section 19(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, the register of voters would be displayed for public scrutiny from October 9 to 15, 2026. He said the exercise would allow Nigerians to scrutinise the register and raise objections or claims before the 2027 general elections. “The register of voters will be displayed for public scrutiny from the 9th to 15th of October 2026, not later than 90 days before the general election,” he said. Olugbenga Ige Olugbenga Ige is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with over nine years of professional reporting experience. He is known for his sharp eye for compelling stories and a strong instinct for identifying newsworthy developments. Over the years, Olugbenga has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience, editorial judgment, and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.

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