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INEC asked a Lagos-based law firm to pay ₦1.5 billion for access to Nigeria’s national voter register and polling unit data.
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The electoral body said the amount represents the “cost of production” under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
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The request underscores long-standing concerns about transparency and accessibility of electoral data in Nigeria.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has demanded the sum of ₦1.5 billion from a law firm seeking access to the national voter register and polling unit data under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
In a letter dated October 13, 2025, and signed by the Secretary to the Commission, Mrs. Rose Oriaran-Anthony, INEC explained that the payment represented the “cost of production” for compiling and releasing the requested data.
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The letter, referenced INEC/VR/CTCGM/33464/1, was addressed to V-C Ottaokpukpu & Associates. It stated:“The Commission has approved your request for a copy of the National Register of Voters for the entire country and the existing Polling Units in all the Electoral Wards in Nigeria pursuant to Section 15 of the Electoral Act 2022.
“You are hereby requested to pay the sum of One Billion, Five Hundred and Five Million, Nine Hundred and One Thousand, Seven Hundred and Fifty Naira only (₦1,505,901,750) being the cost of production of the above.”
INEC directed the law firm to make payment via the Remita Retrieval Reference (RRR) platform and present proof of payment before its request could be processed.
“Kindly pay the said amount into INEC Remita Retrieval Reference (RRR) (www.remita.com) and present the proof of payment (e-receipt) in order to proceed with your request,” the letter added.
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The national voter register and polling unit data remain vital tools for verifying cases of multiple registration, ghost voters, and irregular polling unit allocations — issues that have long undermined Nigeria’s electoral credibility.
Observers note that despite persistent calls for open access to electoral data, INEC continues to maintain tight restrictions, citing high logistical and production costs.
As of the last update in 2021, Nigeria has 176,846 polling units nationwide, following INEC’s successful expansion of 56,872 new polling units under its voter access initiative, the first successful increase since 1996.
