The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has clarified that Nigerians who pre-register online during the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise cannot receive their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) without physically completing the process at designated INEC offices.
According to the commission, online pre-registration alone is insufficient, as capturing an applicant’s biometric details remains a crucial part of the process.
“For now, the entire registration cannot be concluded from home because we still need to capture your biometrics. If biometric capturing could be done online, then there would be no need to visit our centres. However, fingerprint biometric data is still required, and that can only be collected at our registration offices,” explained INEC’s Director of ICT, Bayode Lawrence.
He stressed that while applicants are allowed to fill out forms and upload their personal details on the INEC portal, their physical presence at registration centres is mandatory to validate and safeguard the integrity of the voter register, as well as to prevent duplication or manipulation of records.
Lawrence further revealed that INEC is collaborating with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to integrate data from the National Identification Number (NIN) into future CVR exercises.
He also noted that individuals without internet access could register directly at INEC local government offices. In addition, the commission has developed an online module that enables voters with damaged PVCs to report, update their details, and obtain replacement cards.
