Nigeria’s electoral commission has revealed that more than 9.3 million young citizens registered during the 2026 Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise and unveiled nine youth ambassadors to drive voter engagement ahead of the 2027 general election.
Speaking on Wednesday, 30 September 2026, at an investiture ceremony in Abuja, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Joash Amupitan, confirmed that 9,324,349 young voters had joined the national voter roll.
Speaking on his behalf, National Commissioner Professor Rhoda Gumus said the figures underscored the growing importance of young voters in shaping political outcomes and sustaining democratic trust.
The commission formally inaugurated a panel of nine INEC Youth Ambassadors (IYAs) drawn from the entertainment, creative, and disability rights sectors. Originally launched in 2014, the initiative uses prominent public figures to expand voter education, discourage political violence, and counter misinformation ahead of major polls.
Key directives and details from the ceremony include:
- Tackling Misinformation: National Commissioner Professor Kunle Ajayi urged ambassadors to counter digital falsehoods ahead of the general election, proposing a simple rule for online engagement: “verify before you amplify.”
- Inclusivity & Peace: Speakers from the Ministry of Youth Development and the National Orientation Agency called on the ambassadors to promote non-violent participation and peaceful democratic values across youth networks.
- Inaugurated Cohort: The appointed panel includes Amal Umar, Christopher Yohanna (Uncle CY), Alex Kool Ibeh (Mr Kool), Mike Godson, Emmanuel Ikubese, Seun Ajayi, Ibrahim Tukur Bello, Sunday Agbaji, and Thompson Ukeki.
In a separate event at the commission’s headquarters on Wednesday, INEC presented a Certificate of Return to Kallamu MaiJama’a following his victory in the Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency bye-election held on 19 September 2026.
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