2027: INEC, NIMC Partner To Eliminate Duplicate Voter Records

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced plans to deepen its collaboration with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to eliminate duplicate voter records and strengthen identity verification ahead of the 2027 general elections.

INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, disclosed this on Wednesday while receiving the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NIMC, Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, and members of her management team during a courtesy visit to the commission's headquarters in Abuja.

Amupitan said the recently signed National Identity Management Commission Act, 2026, provides a stronger legal framework for cooperation between both agencies and opens up new opportunities to improve the credibility of Nigeria's electoral process.

According to him, INEC intends to leverage the country's digital identity infrastructure to strengthen voter registration, improve data verification and remove duplicate records from the national voter register.

He noted that the commission's newly introduced online Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) platform already requires applicants to provide their National Identification Number (NIN) for identity verification, adding that closer integration with NIMC would further simplify the registration process while improving the integrity of voter data.

"As we move from the era of technology into the era of artificial intelligence, it is imperative that we work together to establish the necessary safeguards and protocols to ensure the integrity, security and credibility of our data systems," Amupitan said.

Amupitan described the legislation as a significant milestone that expands NIMC's responsibilities beyond identity registration into a sovereign digital authority capable of transforming governance, commerce, land administration and other critical sectors.

He commended Coker-Odusote for what he described as the commission's remarkable progress in driving Nigeria's digital transformation.

The INEC chairman expressed confidence that stronger collaboration between both institutions would reinforce Nigeria's digital governance framework, improve the integrity of the voter register and enhance public confidence in future elections.

Speaking during the meeting, NIMC Director-General, Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, described the newly enacted NIMC Act as a landmark reform that fundamentally transforms the commission's role in Nigeria's digital governance architecture.

She explained that President Bola Tinubu signed the legislation into law on June 26, 2026 following nearly two decades of reforms aimed at strengthening the country's identity management system.

According to her, the new law elevates NIMC beyond its traditional role as custodian of Nigeria's identity database to become the nation's foundational digital identity authority.

She said the commission now serves as the home of Nigeria's Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and Root Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), which provide the digital trust framework required for secure electronic transactions, identity verification and public service delivery.

Coker-Odusote said the reforms would strengthen Nigeria's digital economy, reduce identity fraud, simplify access to both government and private sector services, and improve electoral integrity through more reliable identity verification systems.

"NIMC is ready to support INEC in delivering free, fair and transparent elections because identity remains the foundation of effective governance and credible electoral processes," she said.

Also speaking during the visit, NIMC's Director of Strategy and Programme Office, Dr. Alba Nkoku, said the new Act repositions the commission as Nigeria's national digital trust anchor.

He explained that the legislation establishes the legal framework for Digital Public Infrastructure, strengthens Nigeria's digital sovereignty, promotes secure digital transactions and introduces digital identity credentials beyond the conventional national identity card.