Former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) National Commissioner Festus Okoye has questioned the reported decline in the number of registered voters aged 18 to 34, from about 37.06 million in 2023 to 29.78 million in the latest figures ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The figures show that young voters accounted for 39.65 per cent of the 93.5 million registered voters in 2023 but now represent 28.79 per cent of the approximately 103.4 million voters on the latest register.

The reported decline comes despite the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise adding more than 10.7 million new registrants between August 2025 and July 2026, with young people reportedly accounting for between 63 and 67 per cent of new registrations in some phases.

Okoye’s questioning of the figures comes amid growing concerns about the credibility of the voters’ register and increasing criticism of Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government among young Nigerians, many of whom have voiced dissatisfaction with the country’s economic conditions and political leadership.

One possible explanation for the decline is that many people who were aged 18 to 34 in 2023 have since moved into older age brackets. INEC’s biometric register-cleaning exercise may also have reduced the number by removing duplicate registrations, underage entries and other ineligible records.

Okoye has previously raised concerns about the accuracy of the voters’ register and advocated a fresh biometric registration exercise. He has also highlighted the importance of public scrutiny of the register and compliance with the Electoral Act’s provisions on displaying it for inspection.