The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced plans to introduce downloadable Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) for registered voters whose original cards have been lost or damaged, as part of sweeping electoral reforms ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has unveiled plans to deploy downloadable Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) for eligible Nigerians whose previously issued voter cards have been lost, defaced or become unreadable. The initiative forms part of the commission’s digital transformation agenda aimed at improving voter access and strengthening the electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, disclosed the development on Wednesday while receiving the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, during a courtesy visit to the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
According to Amupitan, the downloadable PVC option will only be available to voters who had previously collected their physical PVCs before they were lost, damaged or became unreadable.
“It is not every PVC that is downloadable. You must have gotten your PVC before, and it must be that the PVC is lost or defaced, or if you cannot read your numbers there,” he explained.
He added that affected voters must officially report the loss or damage at least 90 days before an election for the replacement process to commence. The commission plans to pilot the innovation during the upcoming Osun State governorship election before expanding it nationwide.
Beyond downloadable PVCs, INEC also revealed it is in the final stages of developing a fully online voter registration platform that would enable eligible Nigerians to complete the registration process digitally without visiting INEC offices for physical registration.
According to the commission, the reforms are designed to simplify voter registration, reduce barriers to participation and ensure that eligible Nigerians are not disenfranchised because of logistical challenges associated with replacing lost voter cards.
Amupitan also announced a renewed partnership between INEC and the National Orientation Agency to tackle voter apathy, misinformation, electoral violence and vote-buying ahead of the 2027 polls.
He stressed that technological innovations such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) have significantly strengthened election credibility but noted that sustained voter education remains essential.
The INEC chairman said the commission and NOA would embark on nationwide grassroots sensitisation campaigns to educate Nigerians on voter registration procedures, polling unit transfers and the importance of participating in elections.
The introduction of downloadable PVCs and full online voter registration marks one of INEC’s most significant electoral reforms in recent years. If successfully implemented, the initiatives are expected to improve voter convenience, reduce disenfranchisement and strengthen public participation as preparations intensify for the 2027 general elections.