Prosper Okoye
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released an updated voters’ register for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), listing 1,680,315 eligible voters ahead of the February 21, 2026, Area Council elections.
The revised figure marks an increase from the 1,570,307 voters recorded in 2023, following the resumption of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) in August 2025.
The exercise began with online pre-registration before moving to physical registration nationwide.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelSpeaking at a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, FCT Resident Electoral Commissioner Malam Aminu Idris described the update as a “key constitutional step” in preparing for the polls.
He said the revision process included biometric verification, public display for claims and objections, and a supplementary list.
“The new register supersedes all previous versions and reflects the most accurate count of eligible voters in the territory,” Idris added.
The FCT elections will fill six chairmanship positions and 62 councillorship seats.I
Idris said INEC has completed monitoring party primaries, published final candidate lists, activated the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), and intensified voter education.
He also urged political parties to maintain peace and encourage voters to participate.
“Permanent Voter Cards for newly registered voters and those who updated their records have arrived in the territory,” Idris said, adding that collection dates would be announced soon.
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In a separate update, INEC announced the resumption of CVR in Anambra State, allowing citizens to register, update personal details, replace lost cards, or transfer voting locations ahead of the 2027 general election.
Prosper Okoye is a Correspondent and Research Writer at Prime Business Africa, a Nigerian journalist with experience in development reporting, public affairs, and policy-focused storytelling across Africa
