The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the removal of more than 1.6 million records from Nigeria’s preliminary register of voters following a nationwide screening exercise ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The commission also identified 54 of its personnel across 10 states for alleged involvement in voter registration irregularities, warning that those found culpable would face disciplinary action and possible prosecution.

INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, SAN, disclosed the developments on Monday, November 9, 2026, during a press conference in Abuja, where he presented the outcome of the review of the preliminary register of voters.

According to Amupitan, the commission removed 1,608,660 confirmed invalid registrations from the 2025/2026 Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, alongside 873 records belonging to verified deceased persons.

INEC announced a combined removal figure of 1,609,553 records.

The exercise followed complaints, claims and objections raised by Nigerians after the preliminary voters’ register was displayed at Registration Areas nationwide between October 9 and 15, 2026, and subsequently published online.

The complaints included suspected multiple registrations, questionable photographs believed to have been generated or manipulated using artificial intelligence, unusual registration patterns and the continued appearance of deceased persons on the register.

Amupitan explained that the commission harvested 11,088,238 registration records from the three phases of the 2025/2026 CVR exercise.

The records were screened using the Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS), which initially flagged 1,545,052 registrations for further examination.

He, however, cautioned that a record flagged by the automated system was not automatically invalid, stressing that each case required further examination and authorised adjudication before a final decision could be reached.

Before the preliminary register was published, INEC had already confirmed and excluded 1,277,052 invalid registrations.

Following public complaints and objections, another 268,000 cases underwent adjudication. Of these, 217,722 were confirmed invalid and removed, while 50,278 were cleared and retained in the register.

Further screening subsequently identified another 113,886 invalid registrations, bringing the total number of confirmed invalid registrations removed during the exercise to 1,608,660.

The commission said the current clean-up exercise for the 2025/2026 registration period had been concluded, while final reconciliation, quality assurance and publication preparations were ongoing.

54 INEC personnel identified over irregularities

Beyond the removal of questionable voter records, the commission disclosed that 54 registration personnel across 10 states had been identified for allegedly manipulating registration procedures.

Amupitan said investigations uncovered instances in which some personnel deliberately circumvented established procedures and abused special registration provisions designed to accommodate exceptional circumstances, including registration assistance for persons with disabilities.

The affected records have been identified and subjected to review, while the personnel involved have been listed for administrative investigation.

The chairman confirmed that the 54 individuals were INEC staff members and warned that disciplinary action, including possible prosecution, would follow where wrongdoing was established.

He said the commission would not shield any personnel found to have compromised the registration process.

INEC also promised to strengthen its biometric capture, authentication and verification systems to prevent a recurrence of the irregularities.

INEC bans external webcams, introduces app-based camera system

In a major technological adjustment, the commission announced that external web cameras would no longer be permitted for voter registration photograph capture.

Instead, INEC plans to introduce an application-based camera system that will require photographs to be taken directly through its authorised registration application.

Amupitan explained that the decision was intended to prevent registration operators from importing photographs through external URLs or other unauthorised channels.

The measure follows concerns over suspected artificial intelligence-generated photographs and manipulated images discovered in the preliminary voters’ register.

The commission also approved an Artificial Intelligence Governance Framework developed in collaboration with the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) and the United Kingdom High Commission.

The framework is expected to strengthen the commission’s approach to the responsible use of artificial intelligence, improve technological safeguards and address emerging digital threats to electoral administration.

Historical voter registration irregularities remain a concern

Despite the latest clean-up, INEC warned that irregularities inherited from previous registration exercises between 2011 and 2023 remain a major concern.

Amupitan explained that the national voters’ register had evolved through successive registration exercises using different generations of technology and operational procedures.

He said removing irregular records from the 2025/2026 CVR exercise alone would not resolve all the historical problems associated with the national register.

The commission is therefore reviewing older records to identify duplicate entries and other inconsistencies that may have remained in the system.

The chairman also addressed complaints by Nigerians who discovered that their names were missing from the preliminary register.

According to him, investigations showed that many of the affected individuals had originally registered between 2011 and 2023 but later registered again at new locations instead of formally transferring their voter registration.

He explained that the biometric system identified the subsequent registrations as duplicates and invalidated them, while their original registrations remained in their previous polling locations.

INEC consequently advised affected voters to check their former registration locations before concluding that their names had been completely removed from the national register.

The commission had earlier considered a nationwide voter revalidation exercise but deferred it following concerns about its proximity to the 2027 general elections and the possibility of disenfranchising eligible voters.

INEC explains delay in third-phase PVC distribution

The commission also provided an update on the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to Nigerians who participated in the three phases of the 2025/2026 Continuous Voter Registration exercise.

Amupitan said distribution of PVCs produced for the first and second phases, including cards for voters who transferred their registration, was ongoing at various local government areas across the country.

He disclosed that some PVCs produced for the third and final phase were still being delivered from overseas and would be dispatched to state offices for onward distribution.

According to the chairman, distribution would return to Registration Areas nationwide from December 1, 2026.

He appealed to Nigerians who registered during the third phase to exercise patience while the commission completes the distribution process.

INEC had recorded 2,970,257 registrations during the third phase before the biometric de-duplication process.

BVAS to remain a safeguard against multiple voting

Addressing concerns that multiple registrations could translate into multiple voting during the 2027 elections, Amupitan said existing electoral safeguards, particularly the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), would help prevent such practices.

He explained that voters must be physically present at their designated polling units for biometric accreditation using either fingerprints or facial recognition.

The system verifies a voter’s identity against the register and records successful accreditation, with safeguards designed to prevent an individual from being accredited more than once.

The chairman said the commission remained committed to removing confirmed invalid entries while protecting eligible Nigerians from wrongful exclusion.

He also maintained that public complaints, documented objections and reports from state offices remained important to improving the accuracy and integrity of the voters’ register.

Final voters’ register expected December 15

INEC said the final register of voters is expected to be published on December 15, 2026, following the completion of final reconciliation, quality assurance and other necessary checks.

The commission’s latest disclosure comes amid heightened public scrutiny of the national voters’ register ahead of the 2027 general elections, with concerns over duplicate registrations, suspicious photographs, deceased persons’ records and possible manipulation of the registration process.

The identification of 54 personnel for investigation also raises questions about internal controls and accountability within the registration system.

With the 2027 elections approaching, the accuracy of the national voters’ register remains a critical issue for political parties, candidates, civil society organisations and eligible voters across the country.

INEC says its priority is to ensure that the final register reflects eligible voters while removing confirmed irregularities without disenfranchising legitimate registrants.

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