Nigeria’s National Assembly is proposing a major shake-up to the country’s electoral law one that could make the use of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) optional in future elections.
The proposed amendment to the 2022 Electoral Act argues that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), the technology used to verify voters does not actually recognise the microchip in PVCs, rendering them less essential.
Under the draft changes to Sections 18 and 47, voters would instead be allowed to download and print their voter’s card anytime, using their National Identification Number (NIN), birth certificate, or Nigerian passport for registration.
Lawmakers say the reform would eliminate PVC buying and selling, one of Nigeria’s recurring electoral offences, while simplifying voter verification.
The proposed legislation, discussed at a public hearing by the Joint Committee on Electoral Matters, also seeks to strengthen result transmission rules. Section 60(5) would now compel presiding officers to transmit results both electronically and manually, ensuring transparency and preventing disputes over delayed uploads.
Civil society groups have backed the move. Akin Akingbolu of Yiaga Africa said making electronic transmission mandatory would “deepen the credibility of elections and ensure votes count.”
Another key proposal, Section 71(2), targets election malpractice. It would criminalise the distribution of unstamped or unsigned ballot papers and result sheets, with offenders facing at least one year in prison or a ₦1 million fine or both.
If passed, the amendment could reshape how Nigerians vote, shifting focus from plastic voter cards to digital verification and setting a new standard for election transparency in Africa’s largest democracy.
