INEC Drops the Numbers: South-East Missing as Lagos, Kano and Oyo Take Centre Stage

INEC’s 2027 Voter Map: 10 States Dominate Nigeria’s Electoral Strength — South-East Missing From the List

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released a fresh breakdown of Nigeria’s voter register ahead of the 2027 general elections, revealing a striking concentration of registered voters across just 10 states.

INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, disclosed the figures on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, during the commission’s World Press Conference and National Stakeholders Meeting in Abuja. The disclosure comes as INEC intensifies preparations for the 2027 elections following the completion of the three-phase Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise and a final biometric clean-up of the register.

According to the latest figures, Nigeria’s national register now contains more than 103 million registered voters. INEC said the three phases of the CVR exercise produced 10,772,421 new registrations before the final biometric verification and clean-up.

Lagos State remains firmly at the top of the national ranking, with 7,488,633 registered voters, giving it a substantial lead over every other state.

Kano follows in second place with 6,570,276, while Kaduna occupies third position with 4,662,640. Katsina is fourth with 3,876,051, while Rivers State ranks fifth with 3,736,434 registered voters.

Oyo State is sixth on the national list with 3,588,111 registered voters, followed by Delta State with 3,525,988. Benue records 3,057,225, Ogun has 3,037,981, while Bauchi completes the top 10 with 3,012,547 registered voters.

Top 10 States by Registered Voters

1. Lagos — 7,488,633

2. Kano — 6,570,276

3. Kaduna — 4,662,640

4. Katsina — 3,876,051

5. Rivers — 3,736,434

6. Oyo — 3,588,111

7. Delta — 3,525,988

8. Benue — 3,057,225

9. Ogun — 3,037,981

10. Bauchi — 3,012,547

One of the most politically significant aspects of the list is the regional distribution.

The South-West accounts for three states on the list: Lagos, Oyo and Ogun. The North-West also has three: Kano, Kaduna and Katsina. The South-South has two, Rivers and Delta, while the North-Central has one, Benue, and the North-East has one, Bauchi.

Notably, none of the five South-Eastern states — Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo — appears among the 10 states with the highest number of registered voters.

This does not mean the South-East lacks significant electoral strength. Rather, the figures show that its individual states do not currently have registered-voter populations large enough to enter the national top 10.

The numbers also underline the enormous electoral weight of Lagos. With nearly 7.5 million registered voters, Lagos alone has a voter population substantially larger than that of many Nigerian states combined. Kano and Kaduna likewise demonstrate the enormous electoral importance of the northern population centres.

The latest register therefore offers an important snapshot of Nigeria’s electoral landscape ahead of 2027. However, registered voters should not automatically be equated with actual votes that will be cast on election day. Turnout, voter accreditation, PVC collection, voter mobility, invalid ballots and other electoral factors can significantly affect the final outcome.

INEC has also announced that the nationwide display of the register for public scrutiny will begin on October 9, 2026, while the first phase of Permanent Voter Card (PVC) distribution is scheduled to commence the same day. This will give voters an opportunity to verify their information and raise claims or objections where necessary.

With the 2027 elections approaching, the latest voter figures are likely to become an increasingly important reference point for political parties, candidates, campaign strategists and voters as they assess the electoral significance of Nigeria’s various regions and states.