Nigeria’s youth, often described as the heartbeat of the nation, are rewriting the story of civic engagement. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recently launched its Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) online portal, and the response has been nothing short of remarkable. Within just seven hours of the portal’s debut on 18 August 2025, a staggering 69,376 Nigerians completed their pre-registration, with 69.2% of them aged 18 to 34.
This surge signals a potential shift in Nigeria’s electoral landscape, with young voters emerging as a force capable of reshaping the future of the nation’s politics. But as the nation watches this unprecedented youth engagement, residents in Abuja offer mixed perspectives on whether this enthusiasm will translate into votes at the polls in 2027.
The numbers tell a compelling story. According to INEC’s press release, signed by National Commissioner Sam Olumekun, the CVR portal went live at 8:30 a.m. on 18 August 2025, and by 3:30 p.m., 69,376 Nigerians had pre-registered online.
“The registration portal went live at 8:30 a.m., and by 3:30 p.m. that same day, 69,376 Nigerians had pre-registered online,” Olumekun stated. Of these, 48,033 registrants (69.2%) were aged 18 to 34, with a near-even gender split: 33,803 males (48.7%) and 35,573 females (51.3%).
This aligns with Nigeria’s demographic reality, where young people dominate.
The National Bureau of Statistics (2022) estimates that individuals aged 15 to 35 make up roughly 60% of Nigeria’s population, which is projected to hit 237.5 million by 2025, according to Worldometer. With a median age of 18.1 years, Nigeria’s youth are not just a demographic force but a potential game-changer in the nation’s politics.
The CVR’s online platform, accessible 24/7 at https://cvr.inecnigeria.org, is designed to make voter registration seamless.
“The portal is available 24/7,” Olumekun emphasized, highlighting INEC’s strategy to leverage Nigeria’s growing internet penetration, which the World Bank reports has surpassed 50%, though rural areas still face connectivity challenges. For those preferring traditional methods, in-person registration will commence on 25 August 2025 at 811 INEC state and local government offices nationwide, operating from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. weekdays.
“Meanwhile, the commission will begin in-person registration on Monday, 25th August 2025, at our 811 State and Local Government offices nationwide from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. during weekdays (Monday to Friday) only,” Olumekun explained.
This dual approach aims to accommodate Nigeria’s diverse population, ensuring inclusivity across urban and rural divides.
Nigeria’s voter registration has experienced a significant increase over the years. According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the number of registered voters climbed from 57 million in 1999 to 93.46 million ahead of the 2023 general elections. This rise in registration reflects an ongoing effort to expand electoral participation and engage more citizens in the democratic process.
However, despite the large number of registered voters, the 2023 elections revealed a concerning gap in actual voter engagement. The voter turnout for the 2023 elections was a mere 26.7%, with only 24.9 million votes cast. This low turnout highlights a key challenge facing Nigerian democracy: while registration numbers are increasing, many eligible voters are either not showing up at the polls or are disengaged from the electoral process altogether.
This disparity between high registration and low turnout calls for deeper analysis into the factors contributing to voter apathy and the effectiveness of efforts aimed at increasing civic participation. Further examination may be necessary to identify strategies that can bridge this gap and ensure more citizens actively participate in shaping the country’s future.
This low turnout was attributed to logistical issues, mistrust in the electoral system, and voter apathy, particularly among young people. Yet, the introduction of the online CVR portal in June 2021 marked a turning point. By July 2022, INEC had registered 12.29 million new voters, with 39.65% of them aged 18 to 34, per Statista (2023). The current CVR, running from 18 August 2025 to 30 August 2026, builds on this momentum, with INEC committing to weekly updates on registration progress by state, gender, age, occupation, and disability status to ensure transparency.
The youth’s enthusiasm for registration is not new. In 2021, INEC reported that 66% of CVR applications came from youths, with 542,576 Nigerians completing online pre-registration within two weeks of the portal’s launch.
“As at 7am yesterday, Monday 12th July 2021, exactly two weeks since the exercise began, a total of 542,576 Nigerians have completed the online pre-registration,” said INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu. This trend continued into 2022, with 69.7% of the 6.8 million new registrants being youths, many of them students, businesspeople, and housewives, according to Punch Nigeria (2022). The 2023 elections saw 37.06 million voters aged 18 to 34, making them the largest voting bloc at 39.65%, per Premium Times (2023). This data underscores the youth’s growing influence, but the question remains: will they show up to vote?
To gauge the pulse of the capital, Fairview conducted interviews with Abuja residents, capturing their reactions to the youth-driven registration surge and their predictions for the 2027 elections. Their responses reflect a mix of optimism, cynicism, and cautious hope, shaped by Nigeria’s complex political landscape.
One resident, who preferred anonymity, expressed confidence in the online system’s potential to boost turnout. “I think with the new online application method of INEC, youth may come out in mass to vote. I believe they will abide with this method and come to vote,” they said. This optimism stems from the portal’s accessibility, which eliminates some of the logistical barriers that have historically deterred young voters. With over 50% internet penetration and smartphone usage on the rise, the online CVR aligns with the tech-savvy nature of Nigeria’s youth. The resident’s view echoes INEC’s data, which shows that 26,255 users accessed the CVR portal by 12:35 p.m. on 18 August 2025, as posted by @inecnigeria on X.
However, not everyone shares this enthusiasm. Yusuf, another Abuja resident, voiced deep scepticism about the youth’s willingness to vote, despite their registration numbers. “Many youth have registered, but I don’t believe they will come outside in 2027 election to vote, just because they don’t believe in the system of this country,” he said. “To my understanding, those youth that registered, they do it with the aim that those that will come for them to vote, they will have to collect money from such a person.” Yusuf’s concerns highlight a persistent challenge: voter apathy driven by distrust in the electoral process.
The 2023 elections, marred by reports of irregularities and delays, left many young Nigerians disillusioned. A 2022 BusinessDay report noted that the surge in youth registration was partly a “referendum on the current administration,” with many registering to vote against the status quo rather than for it. Yusuf’s mention of vote-buying reflects a troubling reality, with studies like the 2023 YIAGA Africa report indicating that vote-buying remains a significant issue in Nigerian elections, particularly in economically vulnerable communities.
On the other hand, Emmanuel, another resident, radiated optimism. “I believe the youth will surely come outside to vote with the rate of registration. The youth will really come out to vote,” he said. His confidence aligns with the data showing youth as the largest demographic in the voter register. The 2023 elections saw 37.06 million young voters, and with the current CVR already recording 48,033 youth registrants in its first seven hours, the numbers suggest a growing momentum. Emmanuel’s view also resonates with the sentiments expressed during the 2022 Youth Vote Count Mega Concert in Lagos, where INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu noted a surge in youth registration. “In the last one week, we have registered over 5,000 people,” Yakubu said at the event, highlighting the youth’s determination to engage.
The voices of Abuja residents reflect the broader hopes and frustrations of Nigeria’s youth. For many, the online CVR portal represents more than just a technological upgrade it’s a symbol of possibility. Young Nigerians, who have long felt sidelined by a political system dominated by older elites, see registration as a step toward reclaiming their voice. The #EndSARS protests of 2020, though suppressed, ignited a political awakening among the youth, as noted by Peter Obi in a 2022 BusinessDay report. “The 100 million Nigerians that live under poverty will be the structure,” Obi said, pointing to the youth’s potential to reshape Nigeria’s political landscape. The National Bureau of Statistics (2022) reports that 63% of Nigerians live below the poverty line, with youth unemployment at 42.5% in 2022, fueling their desire for change.
Yet, the scepticism voiced by residents like Yusuf cannot be ignored. The 2023 elections exposed systemic flaws, from logistical failures to allegations of rigging, which eroded trust.
A 2023 Dataphyte report noted that while 93.46 million Nigerians were eligible to vote, only 26.7% turned out, with many citing mistrust and fear of violence. The introduction of technologies like the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) aimed to enhance transparency, but their implementation faced challenges.
“Votes now count in Nigeria,” said INEC’s Festus Okoye in 2022, pointing to BVAS and IReV as game-changers. However, for many youths, these innovations must be matched by tangible improvements in electoral integrity to inspire turnout.
What sets this CVR apart is its embrace of technology to bridge the gap between registration and participation. Unlike previous exercises, the 2025 CVR allows voters to check their status, update details, or transfer polling units online, reducing the need for physical visits to INEC offices. This is critical in a country where logistical challenges, such as long distances to registration centres, have historically suppressed turnout.
The portal’s features, like tracking Permanent Voters’ Card (PVC) status and locating collection centres, address past complaints about PVC distribution. In 2022, INEC reported that 20 million PVCs remained uncollected, a gap that frustrated many voters, as noted by YIAGA Africa’s Samson Itodo.
The youth’s embrace of the online system also reflects their digital fluency. With over 100 million internet users in Nigeria, according to the Nigerian Communications Commission (2023), young people are leveraging smartphones and social media to engage with the electoral process. Posts on X, like @inecnigeria’s announcement of 26,255 portal hits by midday on 18 August 2025, show how digital platforms are amplifying awareness. This tech-driven approach could reduce barriers, but it must be complemented by efforts to address rural connectivity gaps, where internet access remains below 30%, per World Bank data.
The enthusiasm for registration is a promising start, but turning registrants into voters requires overcoming systemic hurdles.
