The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it has integrated the National Identification Number (NIN) to audit, verify and clean the national voter register ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The acting INEC Chairman, Prof. Rhoda Gumus, disclosed this on Tuesday when she received the African Union (AU) Pre-Election Needs Assessment Mission at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
Gumus said the initiative was being implemented in collaboration with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) through the continuous voter registration portal.
“Through our strategic collaboration with the NIMC, we have systematically integrated NIN to audit, verify and clean our national voter register.
“This is to ensure that Africa’s largest democratic identity roll enters the 2027 polls with unassailable integrity,” she said.
She said INEC was preparing to conduct elections involving a voter population approaching 100 million across 176,846 polling units.
Gumus reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to neutrality, independence and professionalism in the conduct of the 2027 elections.
She said recent off-cycle elections had provided an opportunity to test reforms under the Electoral Act 2026, adding that the Osun election recorded improved logistics, BVAS performance and result viewing.
The acting chairman identified digital training for ad hoc personnel, countering election-related disinformation and deepfakes, strengthening the Election Monitoring and Support Centre, and improving gender inclusion as areas requiring AU technical support.
Earlier, Demeke Mekonnen, leader of the AU delegation and former Deputy Prime Minister of Ethiopia, said the mission was in Nigeria to assess preparations for the 2027 elections.
Mekonnen said the mission would examine the voter register, electoral technology, logistics, funding, inclusion, security and dispute resolution mechanisms.
“We are here to also find out if INEC technology applications were fully tested and ready, lessons learnt from the previous elections, logistical and operational challenges and how the commission was addressing them,” he said.
He stressed the need for adequate and timely funding to ensure credible, transparent and fair elections.
