INEC Clarifies ₦1.5bn Charge For Voter Register and Polling Unit Documents
In a bid to address rising public interest, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has explained the rationale behind the ₦1.5 billion charge for the Certified True Copies (CTCs) of the National Register of Voters and existing polling units across the country.
The clarification follows media reactions to a request made by Messrs V.C. Ottaokpukpu & Associates for the comprehensive voter register covering all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), as well as the list of polling units nationwide.
INEC, in a statement signed by Mrs Victoria Eta-Messi, Director of Voter Education and Publicity, said the cost, ₦1,505,901,750, was computed strictly in accordance with Section 8(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2011, which allows public institutions to charge for the “actual cost of document duplication and transcription.”
According to the Commission, the National Register of Voters, containing 93,469,008 registered voters, spans over six million pages when printed, with each page carrying 16 names at ₦250 per page.
The polling unit data, comprising 176,848 units nationwide, adds a further 4,946 pages.
INEC maintained that the fee reflects only the duplication cost and not any additional charge, reaffirming its commitment to transparency, accountability, and prudent resource management.
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