Jigawa Leads Nigeria’s CVR Drive with 98,698 New Voters as INEC Records 1.22 Million Registrations Nationwide

|By Adejumo Adekunle

Jigawa State has surged to the forefront of Nigeria’s ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, recording the highest number of new voters across the country.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) confirmed that 1,228,648 eligible Nigerians successfully registered under Phase II, Week Six of the CVR as of February 13, 2026. The electoral body released the updated figures on its official X platform on Thursday.

Out of the national total, Jigawa alone accounted for 98,698 new registrants, representing 8.03 per cent of all registrations — the highest contribution by any state so far in the current exercise.

Lagos followed with 86,307 new voters, while Sokoto recorded 77,004 registrations. Kano trailed closely with 71,990 registrants.

The latest data reflects a sharp rise in citizen participation, jumping significantly from the 884,737 registrations documented at the end of Week Five. The increase signals renewed public engagement in the electoral process ahead of upcoming polls.

INEC’s breakdown shows that 673,124 applicants began their registration through the online pre-registration portal, while 555,524 completed the process physically at designated centres nationwide.

Youth participation remains dominant. Nigerians aged 18 to 34 accounted for 848,066 registrations, representing 69.02 per cent of the total figure. Female registrants outnumbered their male counterparts, with 696,891 women (57 per cent) completing registration compared to 531,757 men (43 per cent).

The commission also disclosed that 19,414 Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) registered during the period under review, underscoring gradual progress in inclusive electoral participation.

With Jigawa setting the pace and youth turnout driving the numbers, the CVR exercise continues to gather momentum nationwide.