Precious Nwonu, Enugu
The Independent National Electoral Commission has disclosed that 9,324,349 young Nigerians registered during the 2026 Continuous Voter Registration exercise ahead of the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed the figure on Wednesday at the investiture of newly appointed INEC Youth Ambassadors in Abuja.
Amupitan, who was represented by National Commissioner, Prof. Rhoda Gumus, said the number demonstrated the growing involvement of young Nigerians in the country’s electoral process.
In a statement issued on Thursday by INEC Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi, the chairman said youth participation remained important to strengthening democracy and building public confidence in elections.
He explained that the appointment of the Youth Ambassadors was part of efforts to strengthen INEC’s engagement with young Nigerians and encourage greater participation in electoral activities.
“The appointment of these distinguished young Nigerians as INEC Youth Ambassadors is therefore a deliberate step towards strengthening the connection between the Commission and the youth population,” he said.
Amupitan added that young people were more likely to engage with electoral information when it was communicated through credible and relatable individuals within their communities and social networks.
He urged the ambassadors to use their platforms to promote voter education, peaceful participation and responsible electoral conduct, while also helping to counter misinformation.
The chairman further encouraged them to mobilise young Nigerians to take an active role in shaping the country’s democratic process.
Also speaking, the National Commissioner and Chairman of INEC’s Outreach and Partnership Committee, Prof. Kunle Ajayi, urged the ambassadors to speak out against electoral violence and manipulation.
Ajayi cautioned young Nigerians against allowing themselves to be used for activities that could threaten their lives or disrupt the electoral process.
The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, represented by the Deputy Director of Network and Social Mobilisation, Lami Bature, also charged the ambassadors with promoting voter awareness, peaceful participation and responsible citizenship.
Similarly, the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency, Lanre Issa-Oniru, represented by the Director of Civic Values and Democracy Education, Dr Olukemi Afolayan, urged the ambassadors to promote civic responsibility, electoral integrity and peaceful participation ahead of the 2027 elections.
Meanwhile, INEC has presented a Certificate of Return to the winner of the Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency by-election held on September 19, 2026.
The certificate was presented to the member-elect, Kallamu MaiJama’a, by the National Commissioner supervising Gombe State, Rear Admiral Jamila Malafa (retd.), at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja on Thursday.
MaiJama’a commended INEC for the conduct of the election, describing the exercise as free, fair and credible.