INEC Mulls Downloadable PVCs, Full Online Voter Registration Plan

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced plans to introduce downloadable Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) for eligible voters and roll out a fully online voter registration system as part of reforms aimed at improving electoral participation ahead of the 2027 general elections.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed the development on Wednesday while receiving the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, during a courtesy visit to the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

According to Amupitan, the initiative forms part of the commission’s ongoing efforts to modernise Nigeria’s electoral process and make voter registration more accessible.

He explained, however, that the downloadable PVC would not be available to first-time registrants or persons who had never collected their physical voter cards.

Instead, the option is designed for registered voters whose PVCs have been lost, damaged or defaced.

“It is not every PVC that is downloadable. You must have gotten your PVC before and it must be that the PVC is lost, defaced or if you cannot read your numbers there,” the INEC chairman said.

He added that eligible voters seeking a replacement would be required to notify the commission at least 90 days before an election to allow sufficient time for processing.

According to him, the commission intends to pilot the downloadable PVC initiative during the Osun State governorship election scheduled for August before extending it to future elections.

Beyond the digital voter card, Amupitan revealed that INEC was also putting the finishing touches to a technology-driven platform that would enable eligible Nigerians to complete the entire voter registration process online without visiting any INEC office for biometric capture.

He said the commission was optimistic that the platform would soon undergo testing once it receives formal approval.

“We have also been working on the technology that is going to make it possible for the registration of voters online without even having to visit INEC local government or registration areas,” he said.

“So hopefully in the next few days, we will be testing it as soon as the commission approves it.”

The INEC chairman noted that the reforms are intended to remove barriers that discourage citizens from participating in the electoral process.

He said the commission was committed to ensuring that every eligible Nigerian who wishes to register to vote would be able to do so conveniently.

The planned innovations are expected to complement other electoral reforms being introduced by the commission ahead of the 2027 general elections, as INEC seeks to deepen voter participation and improve access to electoral services through technology.