The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has entered into a partnership with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to harmonise Nigeria’s voter registration and national identity systems.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who spoke during a courtesy visit by NIMC Director-General, Abisoye Coker-Odusote, at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja, described the collaboration as a transformative step for the country’s electoral process.
He noted that both agencies manage Nigeria’s largest biometric databases, INEC for electoral purposes and NIMC for national identification, making their cooperation a strategic move for credible elections.
In a statement shared on NIMC’s X handle on Wednesday, the commission confirmed that the partnership would leverage the National Identification Number (NIN) to enhance voter verification and prevent identity fraud during elections.
“DG/CEO, NIMC, Engr. (Dr) Abisoye Coker-Odusote, alongside the management team, held a joint press conference with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), led by its Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, on the collaboration between the two agencies on the use of a credible digital identity token (National Identification Number, NIN) to strengthen the nation’s electoral system,” the statement read.
Coker-Odusote described the alliance as “a strategic partnership for national progress,” stressing that integrating the NIN database into future Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercises will ensure that every eligible voter is uniquely identified.
She added that NIMC is committed to providing INEC with secure and verifiable data while safeguarding citizens’ privacy in line with Nigerian laws and global best practices.
What You Should Know
This partnership marks a major step toward curbing multiple registrations and electoral fraud in Nigeria.
By linking voter registration with NIN, INEC aims to create a cleaner, more credible voter register ahead of future elections, aligning with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
