INEC disowns fake voter registration portal, says exercise closed July 26

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disowned a fraudulent online voter registration portal circulating on the internet, warning Nigerians that the nationwide voter registration exercise ended on July 26, 2026.

INEC disclosed this in a public notice issued on Saturday, October 3, 2026, as preparations continue for the 2027 general elections.

The electoral body said the fake website is circulating claims that it has announced a fresh nationwide online voter registration exercise running from September 28 to October 27, 2026, urging Nigerians to rely only on its official communication channels for electoral information.

INEC warns against fake portal

• INEC identified the fraudulent website as https://tinyurl.com/inecnigeria-cvr-org, describing it as fake and unaffiliated with the Commission. The electoral body warned Nigerians against opening the link or entering personal details on the platform because of the potential risk of data theft and misuse.“Members of the public are strongly advised not to click on the link or submit any personal information on the website, as doing so may expose them to the risk of having their sensitive personal data harvested or misused.”

INEC also urged Nigerians to verify voter registration and other election-related information through its authorised platforms. Its official voter registration portal currently states that the Continuous Voter Registration exercise has ended and that the registration process is not active.

Voter registration ended July 26

Nigeria’s Continuous Voter Registration exercise ended on July 26, 2026, after INEC extended the registration period to give eligible Nigerians additional time to register or update their voter information. The exercise formed part of the Commission’s broader preparations for the 2027 general elections.

• In February, INEC revised its timetable following the repeal of the Electoral Act 2022 and enactment of the Electoral Act 2026, which altered statutory timelines for pre-election activities.
• Under the revised timetable, the presidential and National Assembly elections will hold on January 16, 2027, instead of February 20.
• The governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections are scheduled for February 6, rather than March 6.
• INEC said the adjustment was necessary to align its election calendar with the timelines established under the new electoral law.

The revised timetable means preparations for the elections are already progressing several months after the close of the voter registration exercise.

INEC plans N873.78 billion election budget

Preparations for the 2027 general elections are expected to come with substantially higher costs compared with the previous election cycle. INEC told the National Assembly earlier this year that it would require about N873.78 billion to conduct the elections, in addition to a proposed N171 billion for routine operations in 2026, including bye-elections and off-cycle elections.

• The projected election budget is significantly higher than the N313.4 billion released for the 2023 general elections and includes about N209.21 billion for technology-related costs.
• In February, the Senate approved electronic transmission of results while providing for signed manual result sheets to serve as the primary basis for collation where electronic transmission is impossible because of network or other technological failures.
• INEC has continued preparations involving electoral technology ahead of the polls, including the configuration of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System machines and other election materials required under the 2026 electoral framework.

The projected spending covers operational, administrative, technology and capital requirements as the Commission prepares for the January and February 2027 polls.