The Independent National Electoral Commission says it is deepening collaboration with the National Identity Management Commission to improve identity management and voter registration across Nigeria.
INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu made the assertion while meeting with the NIMC management at the commissions Headquarters in Abuja, on Wednesday.
Yakubu said the partnership is focused on creating a unified and reliable system of citizen identification.
He explained that while INEC maintains the national voter register, NIMC manages a broader database of citizens, and the integration of both systems is key to ensuring a credible electoral process.
Yakubu also confirmed that NIMC officials have been deployed to INEC registration centers during the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration exercise. A pilot program conducted between July 8th and 20th allowed citizens to register as voters and obtain their National Identification Number at the same time. Plans are now underway to expand the initiative nationwide.
The INEC Chairman welcomed the partnership, describing it as a step toward improving electoral integrity and strengthening collaboration between national institutions.
Also speaking, NIMC Director General Bisoye Coker-Odusote emphasized the importance of both agencies working together to deliver credible elections backed by a trusted identity system. She said the collaboration supports the government’s Renewed Hope Agenda and reflects the shared goal of satisfying the will of the people.
She announced that NIMC will begin a quota registration exercise in partnership with INEC to ensure identity registration services are available at the community level. The aim is to give more Nigerians access to voter registration and national identity enrollment in one seamless process.
