INEC Announces 9th October Start For Nationwide PVC Distribution
By MELVIN KOFFA
THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed 9th October 2026, for the nationwide collection of newly issued Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, announced the date on Monday in Kaduna during the commission’s North-West Zonal Interactive Meeting and readiness assessment for the 2027 polls.
Meanwhile, the recent Continuous Voter Registration exercise produced more than 10.7 million new registrations across the country. INEC is now preparing for the next stage by working to ensure that eligible voters can access their cards without unnecessary delays.
Amupitan specifically called for the removal of bottlenecks in PVC distribution at the local government level. He said the commission must address such challenges to prevent eligible voters from being disenfranchised.
Beyond PVC distribution, INEC is also refining its technological systems ahead of the elections. These include voter verification, result transmission and the commission’s Result Management Systems, including the recently introduced eEC8A.
At the same time, the commission is implementing what it describes as a “Zero-Failure” approach to election logistics. The strategy covers early deployment of electoral materials, movement and distribution, security coordination and the training of ad-hoc personnel.
The Kaduna meeting forms part of INEC’s wider zonal readiness assessment as the commission evaluates its preparations for the 2027 general elections.
Consequently, newly registered voters and other eligible citizens awaiting their cards are expected to follow INEC’s official guidance on collection arrangements. The commission’s voter portal also provides services for checking voter status, PVC collection locations, transfers and replacement of lost or damaged cards.
