Sokoto State recorded the highest number of new voters in the first week of Phase II of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, registering 2,294 persons as of January 9, representing 12.61 per cent of the national total.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) disclosed this in its Week One CVR report, which showed that a total of 18,193 Nigerians completed registration nationwide through a combination of online pre-registration and physical registration.

Jigawa ranked second with 1,517 registrants, followed closely by Kano with 1,509, while Lagos placed fourth with 1,486. Katsina completed the top five with 1,178 registrants. Other states with strong turnout included Zamfara (1,006), Osun (866), Kebbi (779), Kaduna (724) and Ogun (712).

At the lower end, Ebonyi recorded 13 registrants, Abia 10 and Imo just two, while Anambra recorded no registration during the period. The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) also recorded zero registration, as CVR activities remain suspended ahead of the Area Council Election scheduled for February 21, 2026.

A regional breakdown showed the North West as the best-performing zone, with a cumulative total of 9,007 registrants—nearly half of the national figure—driven largely by Sokoto, Jigawa, Kano and Katsina. The South West ranked second with 3,970 registrants, buoyed by Lagos, Osun, Ogun and Oyo.

The North East recorded 1,956 registrants, while the South-South posted 1,686. The North Central followed with 1,507 registrants, and the South East ranked lowest nationwide with just 67 registrants.

Overall, online pre-registration dominated the process, accounting for 12,022 registrations, compared to 6,171 physical registrations nationwide. INEC said CVR in the FCT remains suspended in line with Section 9(6) of the Electoral Act 2022. (Weekend Trust)