Nigeria adds 10.5 million young voters ahead of the 2023 General elections
Nigeria has added more than 10 million new voters to its election register, and most of them are youths. In February, a new president will be elected along with members of the Senate, House of representatives and Governors.
Registered voters in Nigeria will cast their votes in the upcoming 2023 elections to elect a new president to succeed Muhammadu Buhari, who is done serving the two terms allowed by the constitution.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) mentioned that they have registered 10.49 million new voters, with 84 percent of these aged 34 and below.
According to INEC, there were 84 million registered voters in the last election which took place in 2019.
From the latest data, the youths accounted for 71.4% of the completed registration in the CVR.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) suspended the Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) exercise on the 31st of July 2022.
INEC had extended the initial closing date for the CVR exercise from June 30 to July 31st and this was to ensure that those who suddenly realised the need to register and obtain PVCs at the last hour of the year long programme were accommodated. There was a massive turnout especially from the youths during this extension.
Participation in Nigerian elections is typically low, but political analysts say the country’s economic woes, seen in double-digit inflation, as well as rising insecurity may push more people to vote, especially young people.
Breakdown of the register showed the North West had the highest number of registered voters at 20,158,100 or 24 per cent of the total registered voters.
The South West came second with 16,292,212 registered voters or 19.39 per cent, while the North Central had 13,366,070 registered voters or 15.91 per cent and the South South registered 12,841,279 or 15.29 per cent of the total.
The North East and the South East regions come last with the total number of 11,289,293 or 13.44 per cent and 10,057,130 voters or 11.97 per cent, respectively
Top 10 states in Nigeria with the highest number of voters
These are the top 10 states with the highest number of voters based on the 2019 voters register and the new registrations under the CVR exercise as of August 1, 2022
1. Lagos (7,155,920 registered voters)
According to INEC, Lagos had the largest number of registered voters by any state in the country at 6.57 million at the 1019 election. The state recorded the highest completed registration at 585,629 during the CVR exercise bringing the total voters’ list to 7.15 million, which is still the highest among the 36 states of the federation.
2. Kano (6,026,850 registered voters)
A total of 569,103 completed voter registration was recorded in the state during the CVR exercise. With this new number of voters, Kano, which had 5.45 million voters in 2019 now has a total of 6.02 million.
3. Kaduna (4,411,723 registered voters)
According to INEC’s data, the State recorded 479,231 completed registrations in the just concluded exercise. This brought its total registered voters to 4.4 million, having had 3.93 million going into the 2019 elections.
4. Rivers (3,689,197 registered voters)
The State has added 473,924 registered voters in the CVR. In 2019, Rivers State had 3.21 million registered voters, its total register is now at 3.68 million.
5. Katsina (3,570,740 registered voters)
The North-Western Katsina State had 3.2 million registered voters in 2019 but a total of 340,510 people have registered for voters’ cards in the recently concluded CVR exercise and this brought the State’s total registered voters to 3.57 million.
6. Delta (3,368,791 registered voters)
According to INEC’s data, as of August 1, 2022, a total of 523,517 registrations have been completed. With this, the state which had 2.84 million registered voters in 2019, now has a total number of 3.36 million registered voters.
7. Oyo (3,330,336 registered voters)
The state has added 396,229 registered voters through the exercise, which brought the number of registered voters from 2.93 million to 3.33 million.
8. Benue (2,832,087 registered voters)
The state recorded 351,956 completed new voters registration. The State has now moved from 2.4 million to 2.83 million registered voters.
9. Bauchi (2,801,512 registered voters)
A total number of 338,669 new registrations were recorded in Bauchi State and this has pushed the state up to make it one of the ten leading states. These new registrations added to its 2.46 million registered voters in 2019 bringing the State’s electorate number to 2.8 million.
10. Anambra (2,761,467 registered voters)
A total of 313,471 new registrations were recorded in the State. For the 2019 elections, Anambra had 2.44 million registered voters, thus the new registrations brought its total number to 2.76 million.
These are the total number of registered voters in Nigeria and the breakdown of the top ten states.
The turnout for the voters registration has been quiet commendable and this is because the people have realised the need to get their voter cards especially after the recent happenings in the country.
Nigeria has added more than 10 million new voters to its election register, and most of them are youths. In February, a new president will be elected along with members of the Senate, House of representatives and Governors.
Registered voters in Nigeria will cast their votes in the upcoming 2023 elections to elect a new president to succeed Muhammadu Buhari, who is done serving the two terms allowed by the constitution.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) mentioned that they have registered 10.49 million new voters, with 84 percent of these aged 34 and below.
According to INEC, there were 84 million registered voters in the last election which took place in 2019.
From the latest data, the youths accounted for 71.4% of the completed registration in the CVR.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) suspended the Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) exercise on the 31st of July 2022.
INEC had extended the initial closing date for the CVR exercise from June 30 to July 31st and this was to ensure that those who suddenly realised the need to register and obtain PVCs at the last hour of the year long programme were accommodated. There was a massive turnout especially from the youths during this extension.
Participation in Nigerian elections is typically low, but political analysts say the country’s economic woes, seen in double-digit inflation, as well as rising insecurity may push more people to vote, especially young people.
Breakdown of the register showed the North West had the highest number of registered voters at 20,158,100 or 24 per cent of the total registered voters.
The South West came second with 16,292,212 registered voters or 19.39 per cent, while the North Central had 13,366,070 registered voters or 15.91 per cent and the South South registered 12,841,279 or 15.29 per cent of the total.
The North East and the South East regions come last with the total number of 11,289,293 or 13.44 per cent and 10,057,130 voters or 11.97 per cent, respectively
Top 10 states in Nigeria with the highest number of voters
These are the top 10 states with the highest number of voters based on the 2019 voters register and the new registrations under the CVR exercise as of August 1, 2022
1. Lagos (7,155,920 registered voters)
According to INEC, Lagos had the largest number of registered voters by any state in the country at 6.57 million at the 1019 election. The state recorded the highest completed registration at 585,629 during the CVR exercise bringing the total voters’ list to 7.15 million, which is still the highest among the 36 states of the federation.
2. Kano (6,026,850 registered voters)
A total of 569,103 completed voter registration was recorded in the state during the CVR exercise. With this new number of voters, Kano, which had 5.45 million voters in 2019 now has a total of 6.02 million.
3. Kaduna (4,411,723 registered voters)
According to INEC’s data, the State recorded 479,231 completed registrations in the just concluded exercise. This brought its total registered voters to 4.4 million, having had 3.93 million going into the 2019 elections.
4. Rivers (3,689,197 registered voters)
The State has added 473,924 registered voters in the CVR. In 2019, Rivers State had 3.21 million registered voters, its total register is now at 3.68 million.
5. Katsina (3,570,740 registered voters)
The North-Western Katsina State had 3.2 million registered voters in 2019 but a total of 340,510 people have registered for voters’ cards in the recently concluded CVR exercise and this brought the State’s total registered voters to 3.57 million.
6. Delta (3,368,791 registered voters)
According to INEC’s data, as of August 1, 2022, a total of 523,517 registrations have been completed. With this, the state which had 2.84 million registered voters in 2019, now has a total number of 3.36 million registered voters.
7. Oyo (3,330,336 registered voters)
The state has added 396,229 registered voters through the exercise, which brought the number of registered voters from 2.93 million to 3.33 million.
8. Benue (2,832,087 registered voters)
The state recorded 351,956 completed new voters registration. The State has now moved from 2.4 million to 2.83 million registered voters.
9. Bauchi (2,801,512 registered voters)
A total number of 338,669 new registrations were recorded in Bauchi State and this has pushed the state up to make it one of the ten leading states. These new registrations added to its 2.46 million registered voters in 2019 bringing the State’s electorate number to 2.8 million.
10. Anambra (2,761,467 registered voters)
A total of 313,471 new registrations were recorded in the State. For the 2019 elections, Anambra had 2.44 million registered voters, thus the new registrations brought its total number to 2.76 million.
These are the total number of registered voters in Nigeria and the breakdown of the top ten states.
The turnout for the voters registration has been quiet commendable and this is because the people have realised the need to get their voter cards especially after the recent happenings in the country.