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Everything you need to vote with confidence — how to register, what you're entitled to at the ballot, and what to do if something goes wrong. Grounded in the Electoral Act, in plain words.
People often ask
Am I eligible to vote? Someone offered me money for my vote Can I vote without my PVC?
Get ready to vote
Four steps to being ready. 01
Register or transfer
You must be 18 or older and a citizen. Register, or move your registration, during Continuous Voter Registration.
02
Check your status
Confirm your name is on the register and find your polling unit on the INEC portal.
03
Collect your PVC
Your Permanent Voter Card is what lets you vote. Collect it before election day.
04
Vote on the day
Bring your PVC, arrive early, vote — and you're entitled to stay and observe the count.
What to bring to register to vote 0 of 3 ticked
You must be a Nigerian citizen aged 18 or older Go in person with one of these: Nigerian birth certificate, Nigerian passport or your NIN Register at a centre in the Local Government, Area Council or Ward where you ordinarily live, work and come from Checked against Electoral Act 2026 on 10 Oct 2026
Election day checklist 0 of 6 ticked
Have your PVC with you: no PVC, no voting Confirm your polling unit before election day; you vote at the unit where you registered Polling units open at 8:30 am and close at 2:30 pm; INEC says anyone on the queue by 2:30 pm may vote Get accredited on the BVAS, by fingerprint or face, before you vote Mark your ballot in private in the voting cubicle After you vote, you may leave, or stay at least 300 metres away to watch the count and results Checked against INEC on 10 Oct 2026
Your rights at the ballot
What the law guarantees you. Your vote is secret Voting is by secret ballot. No one is entitled to make you show, or to see, who you voted for. Electoral Act 2026 · Section 50 All you need is your voter's card Bring your PVC to the polling unit where you registered. The official accredits you with the card reader (BVAS) before you vote. Electoral Act 2026 · Section 47 One person, one vote You may vote only once. If the votes cast exceed the number of accredited voters at a unit, the presiding officer must cancel that unit's result. Electoral Act 2026 · Section 51 Voting with a disability If you have a visual impairment or other disability, you may bring a person you trust into the booth to help you mark your ballot. Electoral Act 2026 · Section 54 Vote-buying is a crime It is an offence to give or to take money or gifts for a vote. Both the person offering and the voter who accepts commit a crime. Electoral Act 2026 · Sections 125 & 131 No campaigning or weapons at the poll Within 300 metres of a polling unit on election day, no one may canvass for votes, carry a weapon, or wear anything meant to intimidate voters. Electoral Act 2026 · Section 130
On election day
If something goes wrong at the unit. You're offered money for your vote Refuse it. Taking it is a crime too — and your vote stays secret regardless. Electoral Act 2026 · Sections 125 & 131 You're turned away wrongly If your name is on the register and you have your PVC, you're entitled to be accredited and vote. Electoral Act 2026 · Section 47 You're threatened or intimidated No one may pressure your vote or carry a weapon at the poll. Report it to an INEC official or the police. Electoral Act 2026 · Section 130 You need help to mark your ballot With a disability or if you can't read, you may bring someone you trust into the booth to assist you. Electoral Act 2026 · Section 54
Report an electoral offence
Vote-buying, intimidation, or malpractice? Report it to INEC, or call the police on 112 . In danger, always call 112 first.
How to report The law behind it
Read the source yourself. LAW Elections & voting Electoral Act 2026 How elections run and how your vote is protected, from registration to results. LAW Fundamental rights · Ch. IV 1999 Constitution (as amended) The supreme law — your fundamental rights, and the limits on government power. Guide Official guidance INEC Regulations & Guidelines How accreditation, voting and result-transmission actually run on the day. Still unsure about something?
Ask Vera about your vote. e.g. “Can I vote if I moved states?” 