INEC's April 2, 2026 deadline forces Nigerian political parties to digitise membership registers, advantaging better-funded organisations and accelerating mobilisation for the 2027 general elections.
The requirement appears in a revised election timetable and is anchored on provisions of the Electoral Act 2026. INEC says parties must submit comprehensive electronic membership registers to strengthen internal party democracy, improve transparency in primaries and ensure credible nomination processes.
Stakeholders warn the rule could disproportionately affect opposition parties that lack the financial and technological capacity to compile and verify large digital databases within the limited timeframe.
That risk could translate into practical disadvantages at the candidate selection stage, where authenticated membership lists determine who may vote or stand in primaries.
The All Progressives Congress has moved quickly. The APC launched a nationwide electronic membership registration and validation exercise across all wards, including the Federal Capital Territory.
In a statement on the party’s official X handle, National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka said existing members should validate details while new members enrol via the digital platform. Registrants must be at least 18 years old and possess a valid National Identification Number, the party said.
The African Democratic Congress introduced a free nationwide online registration portal after a physical drive in Abuja, the party said in a statement by National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi. ADC said online and manual options will run concurrently, with authentication central to eligibility in party primaries.
The party reported encouraging participation across several states and among Nigerians in the diaspora.
The Peoples Democratic Party’s National Working Committee, aligned with former Minister Tanimu Turaki, approved a nationwide registration and revalidation drive beginning March 2, 2026, the PDP said in a statement signed by National Publicity Secretary Ini Ememobong.
The three-week exercise will run at ward, chapter and state offices and is supervised by a committee led by National Organising Secretary Theophilus Daka Shan.
Smaller parties are also scaling up. APGA began electronic registration, offering online, WhatsApp and ward-centre options, its National Publicity Secretary Ejimofor Opara said in Awka. New applicants must be 18 and hold a valid NIN, and temporary slips will be issued pending permanent cards.
The party said it first introduced electronic registration in 2024 and aims to exceed two million registered members. The Julius Abure-led faction of the Labour Party earlier launched an online expansion targeting over 20 million members, in an exercise initiated in Nov.
The coming weeks will test party capacity to compile, verify and submit the registers on time. How INEC enforces the rule and which parties meet the technical and fiscal demands will shape internal nominations and the organisational landscape heading into 2027.
