INEC, NIMC Partner to Merge Voter and NIN Registration Nationwide

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says Nigerians can now register for both the National Identification Number (NIN) and voter cards at the same centres across the country.

Mahmood Yakubu, INEC chairman, disclosed this on Wednesday when the management team of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) visited the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

Yakubu said the collaboration was aimed at harmonising citizens’ biometric records. He noted that both INEC and NIMC hold the largest databases of Nigerians, stressing the importance of working together.

“Since the ultimate goal is to enrol every citizen with NIMC, we look forward to the day when your database will serve as the single source of truth for citizenship identification in Nigeria,” Yakubu said.

“When the time comes, the national register of voters may simply draw from the citizenship register, as is the case in many jurisdictions around the world. This may also enable citizens to vote in future elections from their places of choice anywhere in the country, rather than the places they register as voters, as is the case at present.”

Yakubu explained that NIMC had already deployed its officials to some registration centres during a pilot programme in Anambra state from July 8 to 20, 2025, and that the initiative would now be scaled up nationwide.

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“Citizens will therefore have the opportunity to register as voters while simultaneously registering for the NIN,” he added.

He said details of the centres and modalities would be announced by NIMC in due course, describing the partnership as one that would “strengthen electoral activities in Nigeria.