The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the relocation of Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) centers in four Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Borno State to Maiduguri metropolis due to ongoing security concerns. The announcement was made by the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Abubakar Ahmad, during a press briefing officially commencing the 2025-2026 CVR.
The affected LGAs are Abadam, Guzamala, Kala Balge, and Marte. According to Ahmad, the CVR centers have been moved to the following locations within Maiduguri:
- Abadam: Baga Road
- Guzamala: Fire Service Department, 1,000 Housing Estate
- Kala-Balge: Goni Kachalari Primary School
- Marte: Kachamai
Ahmad emphasized that these changes were necessary to ensure the safety and security of both INEC staff and prospective voters.
The CVR exercise is scheduled to take place in three phases, commencing on August 18, 2025, and concluding on August 30, 2026.
Phase 1: Online pre-registration will begin on August 18, 2025, running concurrently with physical (in-person) registration starting on August 25, 2025. Both online and physical registration will continue simultaneously. The official websites for online pre-registration are www.cvr.inec.gov.ng and www.cvr.inecnigeria.org. The online pre-registration portal allows prospective registrants to begin their registration process online and schedule an appointment to finalize the process in person at an INEC state or local government office.
Physical, in-person registration will take place at the state INEC office and local government offices across the state, starting August 25, 2025. Registration will be conducted from 9 am to 3 pm on weekdays, excluding public holidays.
INEC has assured that special provisions are in place to accommodate persons with disabilities, encouraging their participation in the CVR exercise.
The CVR services include:
- Registration of eligible Nigerians aged 18 and above who have not previously registered.
- Replacement of lost, defaced, or damaged Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs).
- Transfer of registration details to another polling unit for voters who have relocated.
- Collection of uncollected PVCs from previous exercises.
- Updating registration details for voters whose PVCs failed verification by BIVAS during the last elections.
