The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that nationwide collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) will officially commence on Friday, October 9, 2026, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The announcement was made on Monday by INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, during a strategic workshop for media executives organised by the commission in collaboration with Development Alternatives Incorporated and the Nigerian Guild of Editors in Abuja.
The development comes as Nigeria’s National Register of Voters climbed past 103 million following a three-phase Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise that registered over 10.6 million new applicants.
The initial phase will kick off across designated Ward/Registration Area levels before moving to INEC Local Government Area (LGA) offices across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. Collection centers nationwide will operate daily from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM (West Africa Time).
Addressing senior journalists and media executives in Abuja, Prof. Amupitan urged news organizations and civil society groups to amplify public awareness ahead of the distribution drive.
“I am using this high-level forum of editors to officially remind the Nigerian public that the nationwide collection of Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) will commence on Friday, 9th October 2026,” Amupitan declared.
He highlighted that under Section 18(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, the commission has integrated online voter registration and printable PVC technology to minimize bottlenecks during distribution.
INEC reiterated that PVC collection must be conducted in person by the card owner, emphasising a strict prohibition on proxy collection. Registered voters are advised to present their temporary registration slips or valid identification at their respective collection centers.
