The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disclosed that 9,324,349 young Nigerians newly registered during the 2026 Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise
The commission said the figure underscored the growing importance of youth participation in Nigeria’s electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections
INEC Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan, SAN, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja at an event organised to strengthen the commission’s engagement with young Nigerians
Amupitan, who was represented by the National Commissioner, Prof Rhoda Gumus, said active youth participation was critical to strengthening democracy and public confidence in the electoral process
“This figure reinforces the critical role of active youth participation in Nigeria’s electoral process, which also helps in shaping electoral outcomes and strengthening public confidence in the democratic process,” he said
He said the commission was taking steps to deepen its engagement with young Nigerians and ensure that electoral information reached them through credible and relatable channels
According to him, young people have an important role to play in shaping the country’s democratic future and should be encouraged to participate peacefully and responsibly in the electoral process
He urged young Nigerians to obtain accurate electoral information, participate in elections and reject activities capable of undermining the democratic process
The chairman also called for greater efforts to counter electoral misinformation and urged stakeholders working with young people to promote integrity, impartiality and responsible citizenship
As part of its efforts to strengthen youth participation, INEC unveiled nine new and returning Youth Ambassadors at the Abuja event
The initiative is aimed at using credible and influential young Nigerians to promote voter education, peaceful participation and responsible digital engagement ahead of the 2027 elections
The National Commissioner and Chairman of the Outreach and Partnership Committee (OPC), Prof Kunle Ajayi, cautioned young Nigerians against allowing themselves to be used for activities that could endanger their lives or disrupt the electoral process
Ajayi also urged the ambassadors to promote accurate electoral information, particularly on social media
“Information now travels rapidly, and a false claim about an election can reach thousands of people before a correction is issued I therefore ask every Youth Ambassador to adopt a simple discipline: verify before you amplify,” he said.
The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Emmanuel Olawande, represented by the Deputy Director, Network and Social Mobilisation Department, Mrs Lami Bature, urged young Nigerians to promote peaceful participation, responsible citizenship and electoral awareness
Similarly, the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Issa-Oniru, represented by the Director, Civic Values and Democracy Education, Dr Olukemi Afolayan, urged the ambassadors to use their platforms to promote civic responsibility, electoral integrity and peaceful participation
The nine ambassadors, drawn from the movie, music and comedy industries, comprise returning ambassadors who have served the commission for more than a decade and newly appointed members
They are Amal Umar, Christopher Yohanna, popularly known as Uncle CY; Alex Kool Ibeh (Mr Kool); Mike Godson; Emmanuel Ikubese; Seun Ajayi; Ibrahim Tukur Bello (Disability Is Not Inability); Sunday Agbaji; and Ambassador Thompson Ukeki