Civil society groups have raised alarm over persistent disruptions affecting key digital platforms managed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), warning of risks to voter participation and transparency.
Enough is Enough Nigeria and CivicHive have criticised INEC over what they describe as the “inaccessibility” of its Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) and IReV portals.
In separate letters addressed to INEC chairman, Joash Amupitan, the groups demanded urgent clarification and greater transparency around the disruptions.
EiE Nigeria, in a letter dated April 15, said it received widespread complaints from citizens unable to complete voter registration, schedule appointments, or replace lost or damaged permanent voter cards (PVCs).
The organisation blamed the situation largely on the unavailability of the online CVR portal and the suspension of appointment bookings—issues it said were not clearly communicated to the public.
According to EiE, the lack of proactive updates has created significant barriers for eligible voters, especially as Phase 2 of the CVR exercise is set to end on April 17.
The group highlighted several concerns, including:
- Absence of public notice on suspended online appointments
- Poor awareness of alternative in-person registration at local government offices
- Lack of clear guidance for PVC replacement
EiE warned that the situation could disenfranchise willing voters during a crucial registration window.
“The CVR process is foundational to electoral participation, and its credibility depends on transparency and responsiveness,” the group said.
It urged INEC to immediately clarify the status of the CVR portal, improve nationwide communication, and provide a clear roadmap for Phase 3 of the exercise.
CivicHive demands answers on IReV blackout
Separately, CivicHive questioned the prolonged downtime of INEC’s IReV portal, describing it as a threat to electoral transparency.
The organisation claimed the platform was restored within 24 hours of its Freedom of Information (FOI) request after being inaccessible for over a month.
Despite the restoration, CivicHive insisted that INEC must explain the outage.
“The IReV portal is central to electoral transparency and public trust. Its unexplained downtime raises serious concerns,” the group said.
In a letter dated April 13, CivicHive noted that the portal had remained offline since the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) council elections without any official explanation.
The group warned that continued silence could erode public confidence and weaken trust in Nigeria’s electoral system ahead of the 2027 general election.
It stressed that transparency and accountability are critical for maintaining the integrity of election data and public trust in INEC’s processes.
