A group ,Youth Empowerment Solutions Africa (YES Africa) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately extend the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise for  additional 3 months instead of July 10, 2026 deadline.

The Executive Director, Oche Edeh,in statement in Abuja, stated that a 3-month extension to October 10, 2026 will allow INEC to open more centers closer to communities and deploy additional BVAS/laptops, and stabilize the online portal and run weekend/ evening sessions.

Edeh also explained that Our field teams and observers across cities and communities are reporting a surge of eligible Nigerians, especially for youth,  women, and person with disabilities 18-35 years, who are ready to register but have been unable to do so.

 According to the people Executive Director, the barriers reported include, slow Registration Process like long queues and low staff capacity at registration centers mean many people are turned back daily without capturing.

He further explained that proximity and accessibility matter most as many centers are too far from rural communities and urban slums, while transportation cost is hindering the first-time voters along side with technical and Internet failures.

“We observed frequent downtime of the INEC Voter Registration System, causing repeated failed sessions and wasted trips as well as low public awareness in some areas visited. Information about center locations and dates has not reached all communities, especially PWDs and women.”

While schools are still in session, he noted that the current timeline falls within school examination periods, NYSC postings, and peak work periods for many young people. Recent floods and insecurity in some parts of the country has made it impossible for some citizens to access centers before July 10.

He however maintained,all these made us call for an extension so that these citizens will not be denied registration 7 months to the 2027 elections, urging INEC to act now to ensure that “No One Is Left Behind” as every eligible Nigerian deserves the chance to be registered.