The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday commenced the physical phase of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise across the country, following the online pre-registration which began on August 18, 2025.
According to official figures, no fewer than 5,965,451 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) remain uncollected nationwide. The backlog spans the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. Lagos State leads with 845,225 unclaimed PVCs, followed by Oyo with 515,254, Ogun with 410,281, and Kano with 327,177. Other states with significant figures include Osun (360,794), Ondo (295,856), Delta (232,183), Rivers (251,418), Taraba (197,049), Benue (170,586), Kaduna (170,735), and Abia (171,626).
Smaller but notable figures were recorded in states such as Anambra (31,690), Ekiti (29,595), Jigawa (52,933), Nasarawa (51,495), and Yobe (47,295). The FCT accounts for 93,868 uncollected cards.
INEC explained that the CVR process will enable eligible Nigerians not only to register but also to collect outstanding PVCs from previous exercises. The exercise also accommodates transfers of voter registration within or across states, as well as replacement of lost or damaged cards.
