The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed the demand from a law firm, V-C Ottaokpuku & Associates, the payment of ₦1.5 billion for the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the National Register of Voters across all Polling Units in Nigeria.
Arise News reports that Law Firm had invoked the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act to request access to the CTC of the nationwide voters’ register.
The commission in its response dated October 13, 2025, and signed by INEC Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, explained that the request was approved under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2011 and Section 15 of the Electoral Act 2022, which permit access to public records upon formal application.
However, INEC said the ₦1,505,901,750 fee must be paid to cover the cost of producing the documents before the process could proceed.
The INEC Scribe said, “The commission has approved your request for a copy of the National Register of Voters for the entire country and the existing Polling Units in all the electoral wards in Nigeria pursuant to Section 15 of the Electoral Act 2022.
“You are hereby requested to pay the sum of ₦1,505,901,750 being the cost of production.
“Kindly pay the said amount into INEC Remita Retrieval Reference (RRR) and present the proof of payment (e-receipt) in order to proceed with your request.”
The response has generated public debate on the cost and accessibility of electoral data, with legal experts arguing that such financial barriers could undermine the spirit of transparency intended by the Freedom of Information Act.
But INEC in a statement by its Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi, explained that the cost is determined strictly in line with the provisions of Section 8(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 201.
The statement reads, “The Independent National Electoral Commission wishes to clarify matters concerning the recent request by Messrs V.C. Ottaokpukpu & Associates for Certified True Copies (CTCs) of the National Register of Voters for all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), as well as the existing polling units in the electoral wards across the country.
“The commission received the request on October 8 2025 and responded on 13th October 2025, approving the application while outlining the cost for processing and issuance. The sum quoted – 1,505,901,750 Naira – has become a subject of media attention and public inquiry.
“INEC emphasizes that the cost is determined strictly in line with the provisions of Section 8(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2011, which states that: “Where access to information is to be given under this Act, the public institution may charge an amount representing the actual cost of document duplication and transcription.”
“In accordance with INEC Guidelines for the Processing and Issuance of Certified True Copies (CTC) of Documents, which draws authority from Section 15 of the Electoral Act 2022, the applicable charge is 250 Naira per page.
“For clarity, the National Register of Voters for all 36 states and the FCT contains 93,469,008 registered voters, with 16 voters per page, requiring 6,018661 pages. Additionally, printing the existing polling units in the electoral wards across the country, covering 176,848 polling units, will require 4,946 pages. The total number of pages to be printed for both requests is therefore 6,023607, at a unit cost of 250 Naira per page, resulting in the total sum of 1,505,901,750 Naira.
“The commission wishes to assure the public that this figure reflects only the actual costs of document duplication and transcription and does not include any other charges. INEC remains committed to transparency, accountability, and the responsible management of public resources.”
Friday Olokor
About the Author
