The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, is facing growing concerns over the collection of Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs, as more than 14 million cards are reportedly yet to be picked up by eligible voters across the country.
The development comes three weeks after the latest PVC collection exercise commenced, raising concerns that millions of registered Nigerians could be unable to participate in the 2027 general elections if they fail to collect their cards.
Investigations by Vanguard across several states indicate that although the recent Continuous Voter Registration, CVR, exercise attracted millions of new applicants, a significant number of produced PVCs remain unclaimed.
Available figures show that approximately 6.26 million PVCs were uncollected ahead of the 2023 general elections.
INEC registered 10,772,421 additional voters during the latest Continuous Voter Registration exercise, while figures from several states indicate that the number of outstanding cards could now exceed 14 million.
The situation has become particularly concerning in Plateau, Taraba, Jigawa, Benue and Bayelsa states, where the electoral commission has disclosed substantial numbers of PVCs awaiting collection.
In Plateau State, approximately 95,000 PVCs from previous registration exercises remain unclaimed. Taraba has 29,314 outstanding cards, while Jigawa has 33,079 PVCs available for collection.
Bayelsa State has also reported 52,225 cards from the first phase of the latest registration exercise awaiting collection.
In Benue, INEC recorded the collection of 58,581 PVCs during the recent display of the voters’ register, although additional cards are still being processed or remain uncollected.
Beyond the issue of PVC collection, registration figures show that several states, including Sokoto, Zamfara, Nasarawa, Benue, Ogun and Kano, have recorded significant increases in their voter populations.
However, obtaining complete statistics has remained difficult in some states. Kano is still compiling its collection figures across 44 local government areas, while officials in Borno, Bauchi and Kebbi declined to provide updates, describing the information as sensitive.
In Lagos, INEC said the final register of voters would only be available on December 15, following the conclusion of the claims and objections exercise.
Ondo, Ogun, Ekiti and Osun have also reported increases in their voter registers, although some states are still compiling their PVC collection statistics.
The figures have raised questions about whether the growing number of registered voters will translate into actual participation in the 2027 elections, beginning with the presidential and National Assembly polls scheduled for January 16.
Taraba: 29,314 PVCs yet to be collected
Taraba State currently has 2,254,380 registered voters, according to figures released by INEC.
However, 29,314 PVCs remain uncollected at the commission’s offices across the state.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Sa’ad Umar Idris, explained that the outstanding cards consist of 13,826 old PVCs from previous electoral cycles between 2011 and 2023, and 15,488 cards produced during the latest registration exercise.
He disclosed that INEC processed 31,676 cards arising from new registrations, voter transfers and replacements during the 2025–2026 exercise.
Of the total, only 16,188 cards, representing approximately 51 per cent, had been collected.
Expressing concern over the collection rate, Idris appealed to political parties, traditional rulers, religious leaders and civil society organisations to encourage eligible residents to visit INEC offices in their local government areas.
Plateau: 121,821 new voters, 95,000 PVCs outstanding
INEC registered 121,821 additional voters in Plateau State during the latest CVR exercise, while approximately 95,000 PVCs from previous registration periods remain uncollected.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Professor Samuel Egwu, disclosed this during a meeting with political parties and other stakeholders in Jos.
He said the new registrations comprised 65,928 women and 55,893 men.
The commission also received 38,399 applications for voter transfers within and outside the state.
Egwu identified the number of uncollected cards as a major concern as preparations continue for the 2027 general elections.
Jigawa: 33,079 PVCs available for collection
Jigawa State has 2,351,298 registered voters, according to its Resident Electoral Commissioner, Professor Muhammad Bashar.
Bashar disclosed that 33,079 PVCs were ready for collection by individuals who applied for voter transfers, corrections and replacements between August and December 2025.
He also revealed that the state recorded 515,878 new voters across the three phases of the recent CVR exercise.
Jigawa has 27 local government areas, 287 registration areas and 4,522 polling units.
Zamfara records 313,115 additional voters
The Independent National Electoral Commission registered 313,115 new voters in Zamfara State as of August 2026 under the latest CVR exercise.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Mahmud Isa, disclosed this in Gusau, explaining that the new registrations were in addition to the 1,952,060 voters recorded in the state during the 2023 general elections.
Kaduna: 61,494 PVCs collected
In Kaduna State, 61,494 PVCs had been collected as of October 28, according to figures obtained from INEC.
A commission official, Hajiya Rukaiyatu, explained that the figure comprised 12,741 old cards and 48,753 newly issued PVCs.
Women accounted for 32,589 of the collected cards, consisting of 6,782 old PVCs and 25,807 new ones.
Male voters collected 28,905 cards, including 5,959 old PVCs and 22,946 newly issued cards.
The figures indicate that female voters recorded a higher collection rate than their male counterparts.
Nasarawa: Registered voters rise to 2.1 million
Nasarawa State’s voter population has increased to approximately 2.1 million following the registration of 247,000 additional voters between 2025 and July 2026.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mallam Mohammed Abullahi Sadiq, disclosed the figures while commending residents for their participation in the registration exercise.
He also encouraged those who had yet to collect their PVCs to visit INEC offices in their respective local government areas.
Sokoto: 2.63 million registered voters
Sokoto State has recorded a total of 2,633,113 registered voters, including 461,057 individuals captured during the latest Continuous Voter Registration exercise.
The commission’s Public Relations Officer, Hassan Kaoje, said the figure represents 2.55 per cent of the national voter register.
He added that INEC was intensifying efforts to ensure that all eligible voters collected their PVCs before the 2027 elections.
Kaoje urged individuals who had completed their registration but were yet to receive their cards to visit designated collection centres and INEC offices.
Adamawa: 2.43 million registered voters
Adamawa State had 2,431,146 registered voters as of July 2026.
INEC’s Head of Voter Education and Information in the state, Alhaji Aliyu Shaba Lafiagi, disclosed that 49,304 PVCs had been collected as of October 23.
He also revealed that 11,725 voter cards had been transferred into the state, comprising 6,255 cards belonging to men and 5,520 belonging to women.
Borno, Bauchi and Kebbi withhold updated figures
INEC officials in Borno State declined to release the latest statistics on voter registration and PVC collection, describing the information as sensitive.
Officials explained that the commission was yet to establish the final number of newly registered voters and collected cards because the exercise was still ongoing.
However, the state’s 2023 voter register contained 2,564,197 registered voters.
A similar situation was reported in Bauchi, where INEC officials declined to make the requested figures public, insisting that the information was not available for public consumption.
Attempts to obtain updated statistics from Kebbi State were also unsuccessful.
Benue: 3.05 million registered voters, 279,498 new registrants
Benue State currently has 3,057,225 registered voters, including 279,498 new registrants across its 23 local government areas.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mallam Aminu Idris, disclosed that INEC received 101,695 PVCs from its headquarters during the first phase of the CVR and voter transfer exercise.
The cards comprised 54,724 newly produced PVCs and 46,971 transferred cards.
During the display of the voters’ register between October 9 and 15, 2026, at registration area level, 58,581 PVCs were collected.
A breakdown showed that 9,139 were old cards previously kept in storage, 28,854 were newly issued CVR cards, 12,707 were transferred PVCs and 7,881 were replacement cards.
Idris said all previously produced PVCs remained available for collection at INEC offices across the state’s 23 local government areas.
He added that the commission would announce the availability of cards produced during the second and third phases of the CVR exercise after receiving official notification from its headquarters.
Kano yet to finalise PVC collection figures
Kano State, despite having one of Nigeria’s largest voter populations, is yet to determine the total number of PVCs collected across its 44 local government areas.
INEC’s Public Relations Officer, Nahila Bello Dandago, said the commission was still compiling the statistics because the collection exercise remained ongoing.
She disclosed that Kano had 6,570,276 registered voters, making it the state with the second-largest voter population after Lagos, which has 7,488,633 registered voters.
Yobe: 283,525 new voters recorded
Yobe State’s voter population increased from 1,485,146 in 2022 to 1,768,671 in 2026, representing an addition of 283,525 registered voters.
In Damaturu Local Government Area, 11,911 PVCs had been collected, while another 9,137 remained unclaimed.
The Electoral Officer for Damaturu, Ahmed A. Waziri, said the commission had 21,048 cards available for collection.
These comprised 8,100 outstanding cards from the 2023 exercise and 12,948 PVCs received during the first phase of the latest distribution.
He added that Damaturu was yet to receive cards from the second and third phases of the exercise.
Waziri noted that INEC’s Information and Communication Technology department was better positioned to provide comprehensive collection statistics covering all 17 local government areas in the state.
Lagos: Final voter register expected December 15
The Independent National Electoral Commission in Lagos State has said its final register of voters will be released after the conclusion of the ongoing claims and objections exercise on December 15, 2026.
The commission’s Public Affairs Officer, Tope Adenuga, explained that updated registration figures could not be provided until the process was completed.
He said the final register would become available after the commission concluded the exercise.
Available figures put Lagos State’s registered voter population at 7,488,633.
However, INEC was yet to provide updated statistics on PVC collection in the state.
Ondo: 2.05 million registered voters
Ondo State currently has 2,053,061 registered voters, including 76,285 individuals captured during the latest registration exercise.
The Head of Voter Education and Publicity, Olayinka Ogunseye, disclosed that 1,771,326 PVCs had been collected.
He, however, clarified that the figures were preliminary and could change as the exercise continued.
Ekiti: Registered voters increase to 1.05 million
The number of registered voters in Ekiti State has risen to 1,055,708, according to figures released by INEC.
The latest figure represents an increase of 68,061 voters compared with the 987,647 registered during the 2023 general elections.
The commission was unable to provide updated PVC collection figures because the exercise was still ongoing.
Ogun: 348,703 additional voters recorded
Ogun State has recorded 348,703 additional registered voters, bringing its total voter population to 3,037,008 as of October 2026.
The figure represents an increase from the 2,688,305 voters registered ahead of the 2023 general elections.
INEC officials disclosed that PVC distribution was continuing at the commission’s offices across the state’s local government areas.
Osun: 2.33 million registered voters
Osun State currently has 2,339,233 registered voters, according to the INEC Public Relations Officer, Musa Olurode.
He explained that the figure remained the same as the register used for the August 2026 governorship election because no fresh Continuous Voter Registration exercise had been conducted in the state since the poll.
Olurode disclosed that 1,906,390 PVCs had been collected as of August, adding that the number would be updated as more voters picked up their cards.
He maintained that the state’s registered voter population could not change without a new registration exercise.
Delta: INEC unable to provide PVC collection statistics
INEC officials in Delta State declined to provide figures on the number of PVCs collected, directing enquiries to the commission’s Information and Communication Technology department.
The Head of Voter Education, Nse Abasi Udom, explained that the ICT unit was responsible for maintaining and monitoring the relevant records.
However, she could not provide the contact details of the department’s head, explaining that officials were attending an important meeting.
A similar situation was recorded during an earlier visit to a PVC collection centre at Uzor Igwe Primary School along Nnebisi Road in Asaba, where an INEC official declined to disclose the number of cards available or collected.
The official, however, acknowledged that residents were turning out in significant numbers to collect their cards.
The absence of comprehensive figures has made it difficult to determine how many PVCs are still awaiting collection across the state.
Bayelsa: 52,225 PVCs awaiting collection
Bayelsa State has 1,200,691 registered voters, while 52,225 PVCs produced during the first phase of the latest CVR exercise remain uncollected.
Figures released by INEC showed that Ekeremor and Sagbama local government areas recorded the highest numbers of registered voters, with 12,023 and 10,080 respectively.
Ogbia recorded the lowest figure at 3,132, followed by Nembe with 3,620 and Kolokuma/Opokuma with 3,712.
The commission explained that PVC collection initially took place at registration area level between October 9 and 15 before being moved to INEC offices across the state’s eight local government areas.
INEC encouraged eligible voters who missed the ward-level distribution exercise to visit the commission’s offices in their respective local government areas to collect their cards.
With thousands of PVCs still awaiting collection in several states, the figures highlight the challenges facing INEC as it prepares for the 2027 general elections.
Although the increase in registered voters suggests growing participation in the electoral process, the commission’s ability to convert those registrations into actual voter turnout will depend largely on successful PVC distribution and public mobilisation.
Contributors: Clifford Ndujihe, Dayo Johnson, Umar Yusuf, Ndahi Marama, Femi Bolaji, Ibrahim Hassan-Wuyo, Peter Duru, Hadiza Yusuf, Maryam Abdul-aziz Usman, Musa Ubandawaki, Idris Salisu, Edwin Philip, Golok Nanmwa, Muhammad Inuwa, Christopher Ameh, Egufe Yafugborhi, Rotimi Ojomoyela, Olayinka Ajayi, Shina Abubakar, Emem Idio and James Ogunnaike.
Source: Vanguard
