Lagos, Kano, Kaduna lead as INEC lists states with most registered voters ahead of 2027 elections

By Samuel Solomon

Lagos, Kano and Kaduna top the list of states with the most number of registered voters ahead of the 2027 general election, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Joash Amupitan, INEC chairman, also pronounced that Nigeria is the largest democracy in Africa with over 103 million registered voters.

Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday, Amupitan said the number covers the three phases of the commission’s registration process.

“The national register of voters now stands at 110 million, making Nigeria the largest democracy in Africa,” Amupitan said.

“The top 10 states by number of registered voters are Lagos state in first position with 7,488,633 registered voters; followed by Kano state with 6,570,276. Next is Kaduna state with 4,662,640 voters. Next is Katsina state with 3,876,051,” Amupitan said.

“Rivers state is next with 3,736,434. Oyo state is 3,588,111. Delta state 3,525, 988.

“Benue state 3,057,225. Ogun state 3,037,981. And then the 10th is Bauchi state, with 3,012, 547.”

Amupitan said the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has 1,732,043 registered voters, ranking third-lowest in the voter register.

He added that Ekiti has the lowest number of registered voters with 1,055,708, followed by Bayelsa with 1,200,691 and Yobe with 1,733,641 registered voters, while Gombe has 1,768,566.

“The FCT ranks next from the bottom with 1,732,043 voters, followed by Yobe state with 1,733,641 and Gombe with 1,768,566,” he said.

Amupitan relayed that male voters account for 53,528,218, representing 51.75 percent of the register, while female voters number 49,900,497.

“Male voters account for 53,528,218 representing 51.75 percent of the register, while female voters number is 49,900,497. The age profile shows that the register is dominated by voters aged 35 to 49 years, who account for 43,265,946 voters, or 41.83 percent of the total,” the INEC chairman added.

“Followed by voters aged 18 to 34 years numbering 29,777,576 representing 28.79 percent. Voters age 50 to 69 years account for 22,982,900 or 22.22 percent.

“Those aged 70 years and above are the smallest age group, with 7,402,291 voters representing 7.16 percent.

“The register records 232,658 persons with disabilities (PWD) spread across 10 disability categories. This represents roughly 0.2 percent.”