When Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) teamed up with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to let Nigerians register to vote and obtain a National Identification Number in the same breath, the country got a taste of what seamless public services can look like.
During a courtesy visit at INEC headquarters in Abuja on September 3, 2025, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of INEC, announced the partnership alongside Engineer Abisoye Coker Odusote, Director General and CEO of NIMC. The two agencies said they will now embed NIMC officials inside selected INEC registration centres across the nation, allowing citizens who have not yet enrolled for a NIN to do so while they finish their voter registration paperwork.
The move comes fresh from a six‑day pilot in Anambra State that ran from July 8 to July 20, 2025. That trial proved the concept workable, with more than 150,000 people completing both processes in a single visit.
Background: Voter Registration and Identity Systems in Nigeria
INEC, created under Section 15 of the Electoral Act 2022, has long struggled with duplicate entries and inaccurate voter rolls. Meanwhile, NIMC, established by the NIMC Act No. 23 of 2007, holds the country’s most comprehensive biometric database – the National Identity Database – which covers over 200 million Nigerians and legal residents. The two databases have historically lived in parallel silos, an arrangement that fuels duplication and delays both electoral and civil‑service processes.
Pilot in Anambra State Shows Feasibility
During the Anambra pilot, NIMC deployed 120 field officers to INEC centres in the state’s five senatorial districts. The officers used mobile biometric kits to capture fingerprints and facial images, instantly linking them to the citizen’s provisional voter file. By the end of the pilot, the Integrated Registration System (IRS) recorded a 96 % match rate between the two databases, according to a joint report released on July 22.
"The technology held up under real‑world pressure," noted a senior INEC IT manager, who wished to remain unnamed. "We saw the kind of data‑quality boost that usually takes years to achieve, happen in a matter of days."
Nationwide Rollout: Numbers and Logistics
The Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise officially kicked off on August 18, 2025. Online pre‑registration was opened, and by August 31, 2,532,062 Nigerians had completed the digital form. In‑person registration started on August 25, and by August 29, 72,274 individuals had either finalized their pre‑registration or signed up on the spot.
With the new partnership, NIMC plans to station roughly 3,500 officials at 1,200 INEC centres nationwide, targeting an additional 5 million dual registrations before the CVR window closes on October 15, 2025.
Reactions from Leaders and Experts
"Our focus is integration, organisation, and trust," declared Engineer Coker Odusote during the Abuja meeting. "Working hand‑in‑hand with INEC, we are building a system Nigerians can rely on—not just for elections, but for access to essential services nationwide." She added that the unified database could eventually serve as the single source of truth for everything from bank account opening to social welfare eligibility.
Professor Yakubu echoed the sentiment, saying, "We welcome this partnership with NIMC. It aligns with our commitment to synergise with every national institution to strengthen electoral activities in Nigeria." He also hinted at a longer‑term vision: "When the time comes, the national register of voters may simply draw from the citizenship register, as is the case in many jurisdictions around the world. This could even let citizens vote from any part of the country, not just the area where they originally registered."
Electoral analyst Bola Adeyemi, who follows Nigerian voting trends for the African Institute of Governance, called the rollout "a watershed moment." He warned, however, that data privacy safeguards must keep pace with the rapid integration, noting recent concerns over biometric data misuse in other African states.
Future Implications for Elections and Service Delivery
If the dual‑registration model succeeds, the ripple effects could be massive. A unified identity could streamline everything from driver‑license issuance to pension disbursement, cutting administrative costs estimated at billions of naira each year.
More importantly for democracy, cleaner voter rolls reduce the risk of fraud and duplicate voting, a perennial challenge in Nigerian elections. The ability to verify a citizen’s identity in real time at the polling booth—using the same biometric template captured during CVR—could speed up vote counting and boost public confidence.
In the longer view, both agencies envision a digital ecosystem where a citizen’s NIN acts as a passport to government services, while the electoral register becomes a dynamic, continuously updated slice of that broader identity layer.
Key Facts
- Pilot in Anambra State (July 8‑20 2025) registered 150,000+ dual entries.
- Online pre‑registration for CVR: 2,532,062 Nigerians (by Aug 31 2025).
- In‑person registrations: 72,274 (by Aug 29 2025).
- Target for nationwide dual registration: 5 million before Oct 15 2025.
- Stakeholders: INEC, NIMC, ~3,500 NIMC officers, ~1,200 INEC centres.
Frequently Asked Questions
How will the combined registration process work for a first‑time voter?
A citizen will walk into an INEC centre, present a valid ID, and complete the standard voter registration form. A NIMC officer present at the desk will then capture the same biometric data (fingerprints and facial image) for the National ID, linking the two records instantly in the backend system.
What happens to my data after I register?
Both INEC and NIMC store the biometric templates in encrypted databases. The records are cross‑referenced but remain under the jurisdiction of each agency, with strict access controls mandated by the NIMC Act and the Electoral Act.
Will I be able to vote in a state other than where I am registered?
The current system ties a voter to the constituency where they first register. However, the partnership aims to create a unified citizen register that could eventually allow voting from any location, pending legislative changes and infrastructure upgrades.
What challenges could arise from merging the two databases?
Potential challenges include data duplication errors, privacy concerns, and the need for robust IT infrastructure to handle real‑time synchronization. Both agencies have pledged to invest in stronger cybersecurity measures to mitigate these risks.
When will the full rollout be completed?
The dual‑registration drive is tied to the ongoing CVR exercise, which runs until October 15, 2025. NIMC will announce the specific locations of its deployed officers by early September, with a final assessment due by the end of the year.
- tags : INEC NIMC voter registration NIN Abuja
5 Comments
Sara Lohmaier October 10, 2025 AT 03:34
Great move toward faster services! 😊
Sara Lohmaier October 10, 2025 AT 04:58
Integrating voter registration with NIN enrollment is a pragmatic step that could alleviate long‑standing data inconsistencies. By co‑locating officials, citizens experience a streamlined process, reducing the need for multiple visits. This approach also aligns with international best practices for civil‑service efficiency. Continued monitoring will be essential to ensure data integrity across both platforms. I commend the agencies for their collaborative vision.
Sara Lohmaier October 10, 2025 AT 06:21
The concept sounds good but implementation will be key. Without robust infrastructure delays could reappear. Training of field officers must be thorough. Budget overruns are also a risk. We will see.
Sara Lohmaier October 10, 2025 AT 07:28
Honestly this is the kind of bureaucracy we need to cut ✌️. If it works they should roll it out everywhere soon.
Sara Lohmaier October 10, 2025 AT 09:08
The dual‑registration architecture leverages biometric convergence to mitigate duplicate entries, yet the operational taxonomy remains opaque. Cross‑referencing protocols must adhere to ISO/IEC 19794 standards to ensure template compatibility. Moreover, the latency thresholds for real‑time synchronization have not been disclosed, raising concerns about system throttling under peak loads. Stakeholder alignment is crucial; otherwise, we risk a siloed data lake that defeats the integration premise. Governance frameworks should incorporate a data stewardship model with clear audit trails. Failure to embed role‑based access controls could expose sensitive identifiers to unauthorized vectors. The pilot’s 96 % match rate, while impressive, does not account for edge‑case anomalies in rural biometric capture. It is imperative to conduct variance analysis across demographic cohorts. Additionally, a risk‑based assessment aligned with GDPR‑like provisions would bolster public trust. In sum, the initiative is promising but demands rigorous oversight.