The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced October 9, 2026, as the date for the nationwide collection of newly issued Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) ahead of the 2027 general election.

INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, announced the date on Monday in Kaduna during the commission’s North-West Zonal Interactive Meeting with staff and its readiness assessment for the 2027 elections.

Amupitan said the PVC collection followed three phases of the Continuous Voter Registration exercise, which produced 10,772,421 new registrants, subject to verification through the Automated Biometric Identification System.

He directed INEC officials to address operational gaps and remove bottlenecks that could prevent eligible voters from collecting their cards, particularly at the grassroots.

“The true success of any election is not decided solely in the meeting rooms of our headquarters in Abuja. It is decided in the field,” Amupitan said.

He said the commission’s six-zone readiness tour was aimed at identifying challenges in its field operations and finding solutions ahead of the election.

The INEC chairman also stressed the need for neutrality and professionalism among electoral officials, saying their conduct at the Local Government Areas, Registration Area Centres and polling units would be critical to public confidence in the process.

Earlier, the Supervising National Commissioner for Kaduna, Mallam Kudu Haruna, said the zonal meetings were designed to allow the commission’s leadership to engage directly with field personnel as preparations for the 2027 election intensify.

Haruna said Amupitan’s visit to the Emir of Zazzau and Chairman of the Kaduna State Council of Traditional Rulers was also aimed at securing the support of traditional institutions for voter mobilisation.

According to him, the INEC chairman informed the Emir that the newly issued PVCs would be available for collection from October 9 and appealed to traditional rulers to encourage eligible citizens to collect their cards.

INEC has also said its national voter register is approaching the 100 million mark, while the commission’s official portal allows registered voters to check their PVC status and collection centre.

The 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, according to INEC’s official election timetable.