WorldStage— The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released its updated national voter register, revealing the top 10 states with the highest number of registered voters ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking during a high-level stakeholders meeting and press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan announced that Nigeria’s total voter base has scaled up to 110 million registered voters.
The massive surge follows the successful conclusion of the commission’s intensive three-phase Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise and a comprehensive biometric clean-up operation.
Amupitan declared that the expansive register firmly cements Nigeria’s status as the largest democracy in Africa.
According to the official data, the top 10 states dominating the electoral register are heavily concentrated within the North-West and South-West geopolitical zones, with Lagos State firmly holding the number one spot nationwide, boasting an unprecedented 7,488,633 registered voters.
Kano State follows closely in second place with 6,570,276 voters, while Kaduna State secures the third position with 4,662,640 voters.
The complete top 10 states ranking released by INEC include: Lagos — 7,488,633, Kano — 6,570,276, Kaduna — 4,662,640, Katsina — 3,876,051, Rivers — 3,736,434, Oyo — 3,588,111, Delta — 3,525,988, Benue — 3,057,225, Ogun — 3,037,981, and Bauchi — 3,012,547.
Zonal breakdowns compiled on Tuesday show that the North-West geopolitical zone commands the highest overall regional block with 25,083,411 voters, making up roughly 24.25 percent of the national register.
The South-West follows as the second most influential region with 19,614,274 voters (18.96 percent).
On the other hand, the South-East recorded the lowest voter density among the regions, summing up to 11,976,218 voters, or 11.58 percent.
Prof. Amupitan reassured the public and political stakeholders that the commission has institutionalized robust measures to prevent identity duplication, ensuring that the 2027 general elections will be built upon a foundation of absolute transparency and democratic integrity.
