INEC Demands N1.5 Billion From Law Firm to Release Certified Copy of National Voter Register, Gives Reason

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has in a move that raises questions about accessibility and transparency in Nigeria's electoral process, demanded a hefty sum of 1,505,901,750 Naira from a law firm that requested for a certified true copy of the national register of voters and all existing polling units, pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) provisions.

In a memo dated October 13, 2025, from INEC's Secretary to the Commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, addressed to V-C Ottakokpukpu & Associates, a law firm based in Wuse, Abuja, the firm submitted the request on October 8, 2025, invoking the FOIA provisions to seek comprehensive voter data covering the entire country - Nigeria. (Note that the FOIA which was enacted in 2011, mandates public institutions to disclose information unless exempted for reasons like national security.)

According to the memo, INEC's decision aligns with Section 15 of the Electoral Act 2022, which empowers the commission to provide such information. However, the release is contingent on covering the cost of production, calculated at over one billion five hundred million naira. "The payment must be made through INEC's Remita Retrieval Reference (RRR) platform, with proof of an e-receipt required before processing." the memo reads in part. See memo below:

This development highlights ongoing debates about the balance between electoral transparency and administrative costs in Nigeria, where the voter register is a critical tool for political parties, civil society, and observers to verify election integrity. With approximately 93 million registered voters as of the last major update in 2023, producing a certified physical or digital copy could indeed involve significant resources, including printing, verification, and data handling. Critics has however, argued that such a high fee could deter public access to essential democratic information.

The firm as at time of this report has not publicly commented on the response.

This is a developing story, as more information is made available, this news article will be updated.

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