The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has clarified that Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) can only be printed and collected at its designated offices, even if applicants complete their pre-registration online during the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise.
INEC’s Director of ICT, Bayode Lawrence, speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday, explained that online pre-registration alone does not finalize the process.
He stressed that physical appearance at INEC centres is compulsory because biometric data, especially fingerprints must be captured in person.
“For now, you can’t complete everything from home because we still need to capture your biometrics. If online biometric capture were possible, there would be no need to visit our centres. But fingerprint capture must be done physically,” Lawrence said.
He noted that while applicants may fill out forms and upload personal information online, in-person biometric capture is critical to verifying voter identity, preventing duplication, and safeguarding the integrity of the register.
Lawrence also revealed that INEC is collaborating with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to integrate national ID data into future registration exercises, a move that could eventually streamline the process and reduce repeated biometric collection.
For Nigerians without internet access, he assured that registration can still be completed at INEC local government offices.
He further pointed out that the commission’s online portal has a feature for voters with damaged PVCs to update their details and request replacements.
