Jigawa, Kano, Lagos Top Voter Registration As Women Dominate New Sign-Ups

Jigawa, Kano and Lagos states have topped Nigeria’s ongoing second phase of the Continuous Voter Registration exercise.

NaijaChoice News reports that fresh figures released by the Independent National Electoral Commission placed Jigawa first with 210,868 new registrants, Kano second with 196,486 and Lagos third with 192,075.

Ekiti State recorded the lowest turnout with 32,475 new voters. Anambra followed with 33,826 while Ondo, Enugu and Plateau posted 35,280, 40,178 and 52,564 respectively.

Regionally, the Northwest led with 1,116,770 registrations. Northcentral came next with 632,055, followed by Southwest with 600,583. Northeast, Southsouth and Southeast recorded 545,037, 535,204 and 321,690 respectively.

Women have dominated the new sign-ups across the country. Official data showed female registrants at 2,082,361, representing 55.55 per cent, while male registrants stood at 1,666,343 or 44.45 per cent.

The Continuous Voter Registration exercise began last August to update the voters’ register ahead of the 2027 general elections. It is expected to run until August this year.

INEC has repeatedly urged eligible Nigerians, especially those who turned 18 since the 2023 polls or never registered, to take advantage of the remaining window.

The latest figures point to renewed interest in the democratic process, particularly among women who are turning out in larger numbers than men for the first time in recent cycles.