THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released new figures showing that four states — Abia, Edo, Ebonyi, and Ondo are lagging behind in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The online and physical voter registration, which began nine weeks ago, is part of INEC’s nationwide effort to update the voter register, capture first-time voters, and allow those who have changed locations to transfer their polling units.
According to the latest data published on the Commission’s dedicated CVR portal sighted by News Point Nigeria, participation across the six geopolitical zones has been uneven, with northern states recording the highest turnout compared to the southern regions.
Figures from INEC show that Abia State has recorded only 11,221 online registrations, while Edo follows closely with 11,570, Ebonyi with 13,979, and Ondo with 17,618 making them the four lowest-performing states in the country.
By contrast, Borno State continues to dominate the online registration charts, overtaking Osun to claim the top spot with an impressive 826,310 registered voters. Osun follows with 646,580, Lagos with 604,819, Kebbi with 581,135, Kaduna with 510,490, and Ogun with 510,062.
This sharp regional divide underscores ongoing concerns about voter apathy and unequal participation in the electoral process, particularly in parts of the South East and South South.
Regionally, the North West leads with 2,516,890 online registrations, followed by the South West with 2,118,036, the North East with 1,549,905, and the North Central with 1,169,693.
The South South and South East lag significantly behind, recording 487,456 and 159,986 registrations, respectively less than a tenth of what the North West achieved.
INEC attributed part of the South East’s low figures to the exclusion of Anambra State, which is not participating in the exercise until after its November 8 governorship election.
Nationally, the Commission’s data show that a total of 8,003,196 eligible Nigerians have registered online as of the ninth week of the exercise, while 1,710,450 voters have completed both online and physical registration.
For physical registration, which involves biometric capture and card issuance, Osun State leads with 151,593 registrants, followed by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) with 106,858, Kano with 96,280, Imo with 90,469, Sokoto with 86,183, Lagos with 85,831, and Borno with 85,720.
INEC has repeatedly urged citizens to take advantage of the online registration portal and physical centres nationwide, warning that late participation may lead to long queues and technical delays closer to the 2027 polls.
Reacting to the latest figures, an INEC official told News Point Nigeria that the commission remains committed to ensuring balanced participation across all regions.
“We are working closely with civil society organisations and community leaders to encourage registration, especially among women, youths, and persons with disabilities,” the source said.