INEC Sets October 9 for Nationwide PVC Collection Ahead of 2027 Polls

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has announced October 9, 2026, as the commencement date for the nationwide collection of newly issued Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs, ahead of the 2027 general elections.

INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, announced the date on Monday in Kaduna during the commission’s North-West Zonal Interactive Meeting with staff and a readiness assessment for the 2027 elections.

Amupitan said the PVCs were produced following three phases of the Continuous Voter Registration, CVR, exercise, which recorded 10,772,421 new registrations. The registrations are subject to verification through the Automated Biometric Identification System, ABIS.

The INEC chairman directed officials to identify and address operational challenges that could hinder eligible voters from collecting their cards, particularly in areas where logistics may pose difficulties.

He said the commission was also working to strengthen its voter verification and result transmission systems as part of preparations for the 2027 elections.

Amupitan warned INEC personnel against partisan conduct, administrative negligence and ethical breaches, stressing the importance of neutrality and professionalism in maintaining public confidence in the electoral process.

He said the commission was adopting a “Zero-Failure” approach to election logistics, including early deployment of materials, movement coordination, security arrangements and training of ad-hoc personnel.

The chairman further urged electoral officers to raise operational challenges encountered in the field so they could be addressed before election day.

The nationwide PVC collection exercise is part of INEC’s preparations for the 2027 general elections, with the commission continuing its assessment of personnel, technology and logistics across the country.