The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially commenced its Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise nationwide, a crucial process set to continue until August 2026. In anticipation of this, the All Progressives Congress (APC)in Lagos State immediately initiated community-level mobilization efforts, directing all ward and local government leaders to engage eligible voters. The party's spokesman, Mogaji Seye Oladejo, emphasized that this strategy aims to ensure that every eligible resident, particularly first-time registrants, youths, and those who have relocated, is captured in the ongoing registration.

The Lagos APC's mobilization campaign is multifaceted. It involves activating ward chairmen and local government party structures to conduct door-to-door campaigns and organize community sensitization sessions. A targeted digital campaign has also been launched to reach young and tech-savvy voters through social media and digital forums. Furthermore, in select Local Government Areas (LGAs), logistical support is being provided to assist voters, especially the elderly and those in riverine or hard-to-reach areas, in accessing designated INEC registration centers.

Photo Credit: Punch Newspapers

Elected officials, political appointees, and community leaders are playing a central role in reinforcing voter registration as a civic responsibility and a tool for political empowerment. The party stressed that securing a Permanent Voter Card (PVC) is fundamental for sustaining progress and ensuring good governance in Lagos State, urging all members, supporters, and the general public to participate, framing it as vital for the future of democracy.

Providing an update on the CVR exercise, Sam Olumekun, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information & Voter Education Committee, disclosed that within the first week of online pre-registration, which began on Monday, 18th August 2025, a total of 1,379,342 people had participated nationwide by Sunday, 24th August 2025. The Commission released detailed statistics broken down by state, gender, age, occupation, and disability status.

The demographic breakdown of online pre-registrations reveals that female registrants slightly outnumbered males, with 717,856 (52.04%) females compared to 661,846 (47.96%) males. Young people, aged between 18 and 34, constituted the overwhelming majority, accounting for 860,286 (62.37%) of all registrants. Students were the largest occupational group, with 374,534 individuals (27.15%), while persons with disabilities represented 27,089 (1.96%) of the total.

Geographically, Osun State led the online pre-registration with a remarkable 393,269 registrations (28.51%). Lagos State followed with 222,205 (16.11%), and Ogun State ranked third with 132,823 (9.63%). The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) also demonstrated strong engagement with 107,682 registrations (7.81%). Conversely, some states in the South East region recorded significantly lower numbers, with Ebonyi, Imo, and Enugu registering only 261, 481, and 484 individuals, respectively, indicating potential disparities in online access or awareness in that region.

Photo Credit: Punch Newspapers

Further regional observations from the first week's data show the South West dominating with 848,359 pre-registrations (61.50%), largely driven by Osun and Lagos. The North Central followed with 250,218 (18.14%), primarily due to FCT and Kogi. The North West registered 141,439 (10.25%), with Kaduna and Kebbi as key contributors. The North East accounted for 77,652 (5.63%), led by Yobe and Borno, while the South South had moderate engagement with 59,676 (4.33%), with Delta as its top contributor. The South East recorded the lowest pre-registrations at 1,998 (0.14%).

In addition to the online process, physical registration commenced at INEC’s 811 state and local government offices nationwide. This allows individuals who prefer in-person registration or those who completed their online pre-registration to finalize the process, ensuring comprehensive participation in the electoral exercise.