INEC urges relocated Nigerian voters to transfer registration, not re-register, as the CVR exercise closes Sunday, July 26, 2026.
The Independent National Electoral Commission warned Nigerians who have moved to new locations to apply for a transfer of registration rather than register afresh, with two days remaining before the continuous voter registration exercise ends at close of business Sunday.
In a post on X on Thursday, INEC told eligible voters who had previously registered but since relocated that a fresh registration was unnecessary. “Don’t register again,” the commission stated. “Simply apply for a transfer of registration.”
The commission extended the CVR deadline by two weeks before issuing Thursday’s guidance, shifting the cut-off from July 10 to July 24. A further extension moved the final close to Sunday, with registration centers operating from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. each day, weekends included.
“Have you moved to a new location?” the commission asked in the post shared alongside a flyer on the platform. “Your vote should move with you.” INEC directed affected voters to apply for a transfer to vote at a polling unit closer to their current place of residence.
Voters seeking to transfer their registration can do so by visiting any CVR registration center or by accessing the commission’s online self-service portal at cvr.inecnigeria.org, according to the commission’s Thursday statement on X.
The self-service portal, which INEC launched as part of the CVR exercise, allows eligible Nigerians to register for a permanent voter’s card, transfer their voting location, update personal details, and replace lost or damaged voter cards without visiting an INEC office.
First-time voters can complete the full registration process on a mobile phone, including biometric capture. The portal enables applicants to begin and finish registration using personal devices, removing the requirement to attend a physical INEC registration center to complete enrollment.
“Don’t let your old polling location decide your future,” INEC disclosed in the Thursday post. “Apply for a transfer of registration and vote where you now live, either by visiting any CVR registration center or using the online portal.”
By Thursday afternoon, INEC had added a closing appeal directed at all eligible Nigerians yet to act. “Every vote counts,” the commission stated. “Take a step today and be counted.” No figure was given for the number of voters yet to register or transfer.
The CVR exercise has been running since August 18, 2025, according to INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna. The exercise was initially scheduled to end on July 10, 2026, before the commission approved the two-week extension.
Haruna confirmed the extension followed a review of the exercise and feedback received from the commission’s state offices, political parties, and civil society organizations, according to earlier reporting by The Punch. The final deadline was subsequently fixed at Sunday, July 26, 2026.
Voters who complete a transfer of registration will be reassigned to a polling unit closer to their current place of residence, enabling them to participate in future elections at their new location rather than at the polling unit where they first enrolled, according to the commission’s guidance.
The online portal, accessible at cvr.inecnigeria.org, handles four categories of applications: new voter registration, transfer of registration, update of personal details, and replacement of a lost or damaged Permanent Voter’s Card. All four services remain available until the exercise closes Sunday.
Registration centers will remain open Saturday and Sunday as part of the weekend schedule, INEC confirmed in the Thursday post. Operating hours on both days are fixed at 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. No extension beyond Sunday, July 26, has been announced by the commission.
