Voters below the age of 50 account for more than 70 per cent of Nigeria’s registered electorate ahead of the 2027 general election, according to the latest figures released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
INEC said 29,777,576 registered voters are aged between 18 and 34, representing 28.79 per cent of the national register, while another 43,265,946 voters, or 41.83 per cent, are between 35 and 49.
Together, the two age groups account for 73,043,522 registered voters, representing about 70.6 per cent of the register.
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, SAN, disclosed the figures on Tuesday at a national stakeholders’ meeting held in Abuja as part of preparations for the 2027 general election.
According to Amupitan, the latest register followed the completion of three phases of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise and a final biometric clean-up through the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS).
The three CVR phases recorded a combined 10,772,421 new registrations. The first phase produced 2,611,266 registrations, while the second and third phases recorded 4,121,835 and 3,867,997 respectively.
The 35 to 49 age group remains the largest category on the register, with 43,265,946 voters, representing 41.83 per cent.
Voters aged between 50 and 69 number 22,983,922, accounting for 22.22 per cent, while those aged 70 and above make up the smallest age group, with 7,402,291 voters, representing 7.16 per cent.
The figures show that younger voters constitute a substantial share of the electorate expected to participate in the 2027 elections, although the 35 to 49 age bracket remains the single largest age category.
INEC said the national register now contains about 103.4 million registered voters following the completion of the biometric verification exercise.
Lagos has the highest number of registered voters with 7,488,633, followed by Kano with 6,570,276 and Kaduna with 4,662,640.
Other states in the top 10 are Katsina with 3,876,051; Rivers, 3,736,434; Oyo, 3,588,111; Delta, 3,525,988; Benue, 3,057,225; Ogun, 3,037,981; and Bauchi, 3,012,547.
Male voters account for 53,528,218, or 51.75 per cent, while female voters number 49,900,497, representing 48.25 per cent.
The register also contains 232,658 persons with disabilities across 10 disability categories, representing about 0.23 per cent of registered voters.
Amupitan said the register would be displayed nationwide for public scrutiny from October 9 to 16, 2026, in line with Section 19(1) of the Electoral Act 2026. Claims and objections arising from the display will be considered by the commission.
He also announced that the first phase of Permanent Voter Card (PVC) distribution at local government centres would begin on October 9.
Amupitan said the commission’s preparations were aimed at delivering a credible 2027 election.
“The 100-day milestone is not just a countdown. It is a call to action,” he said, adding that INEC was working to ensure the election “is not only successful, but serves as a global benchmark for transparency, integrity and peace.”
