INEC, NIMC Partner to Eliminate Duplicate Voters, Strengthen Digital Electoral System

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) have commenced deeper collaboration to strengthen Nigeria’s electoral system through improved identity management, voter verification and digital integration.

The renewed partnership was reaffirmed on Wednesday when the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NIMC, Engr. (Dr.) Abisoye Coker-Odusote, led a delegation on a courtesy visit to the INEC headquarters in Abuja.

Receiving the delegation, INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, said the collaboration would address long-standing challenges associated with identity management in the country’s electoral process.

He noted that identity fraud, multiple registrations and impersonation have remained major concerns in election management, adding that stronger integration between the two agencies would improve the credibility of the national voters’ register.

“Identity can easily be distorted, impersonated or duplicated. That is why this partnership is important. It gives us an opportunity to address some of the major challenges confronting voter registration and identity verification,” Amupitan said.

He commended NIMC for the successful enactment of the National Identity Management Commission Act, 2026, describing it as a milestone that strengthens Nigeria’s digital identity infrastructure.

According to the INEC chairman, technical teams from both agencies have already begun working together to integrate their systems in ways that will enable continuous verification of voter data and eliminate duplicate registrations.

He explained that the Commission’s online Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) platform would benefit significantly from NIMC’s identity verification system, making voter registration easier and more secure.

Amupitan also disclosed that INEC has introduced measures to ensure that eligible voters are not disenfranchised where Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) cannot be issued before elections.

He said voters who report such cases at least 90 days before an election would be able to obtain a printable voter document for accreditation and voting, subject to the Commission’s guidelines.

Speaking earlier, NIMC Director-General Abisoye Coker-Odusote said the newly signed NIMC Act 2026, assented to by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on June 26, provides a stronger legal framework for digital identity management and secure electronic transactions.

She said the legislation establishes NIMC as the foundation of Nigeria’s digital identity ecosystem and gives the Commission expanded responsibility for the country’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and Public Key Infrastructure (PKI).

According to her, the reforms will support secure digital identity authentication, electronic signatures, trusted digital credentials and stronger protection against identity fraud.

“The new Act reinforces the principle of one person, one identity and one number. It simplifies access to services, reduces fraud and creates a trusted digital ecosystem for government, businesses and citizens,” she said.

Coker-Odusote assured INEC of NIMC’s commitment to supporting the electoral body in strengthening voter registration, identity verification and election planning through technology-driven solutions.

She added that closer collaboration between both institutions would enhance public confidence in elections while supporting Nigeria’s broader digital transformation agenda.