Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced October 9, 2026 as the date for the nationwide collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Gatekeepers News reports that INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, disclosed this on Monday in Kaduna during the commission’s North-West Zonal Interactive Meeting with staff and its readiness assessment for the 2027 elections.
Amupitan said the recent voter registration exercise produced more than 10.7 million new registrations, adding that the commission was working to ensure eligible voters could obtain their PVCs without unnecessary delays.
He called for the removal of bottlenecks associated with PVC distribution at the local government level to prevent eligible citizens from being disenfranchised.
The INEC chairman also said the commission was refining its technological systems ahead of the elections. These include voter verification, result transmission and result management systems, including the recently introduced eEC8A.
He said INEC was also adopting a “Zero-Failure” approach to election logistics, covering the early deployment of electoral materials, movement of personnel and materials, security coordination and training of ad-hoc staff.
The announcement comes as INEC continues preparations for the 2027 general elections. The presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, while the governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections are scheduled for February 6, 2027.
INEC had previously said preparations for PVC collection were underway after the conclusion of the Continuous Voter Registration exercise and the display of the preliminary voters’ register.
The commission is expected to provide further details on the collection process and locations as the October 9 commencement date approaches.
