INEC To Introduce Downloadable PVCs, Full Online Voter Registration
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is set to roll out downloadable permanent voter cards (PVCs) for people who have lost or damaged their original cards.
INEC chairman Joash Amupitan announced this on Wednesday during a visit from Lanre Issa-Onilu, director-general of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja. He explained that the initiative is part of efforts to modernize Nigeria’s electoral process ahead of the 2027 general election.
The downloadable PVC option will only be available to those who have previously obtained a physical card and need a replacement due to loss, damage, or unreadable details, and requests must be filed at least 90 days before an election.
A pilot program will launch during the Osun governorship election in August. Amupitan also revealed that INEC is finalizing technology to allow eligible citizens to register entirely online without visiting INEC offices for biometric capture, with testing expected soon.
These innovations aim to make voter registration easier and ensure no one feels excluded from the process.