The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has registered 9,324,349 young Nigerians during the 2026 Continuous Voter Registration exercise ahead of the 2027 general election.
INEC Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja during the investiture of nine returning and newly appointed INEC Youth Ambassadors.
Amupitan, who was represented by National Commissioner Prof Rhoda Gumus, said the number highlighted the importance of young people to Nigeria’s democratic process.
He said youth participation was essential to influencing electoral outcomes and strengthening public confidence in elections.
The INEC chairman said the appointment of the ambassadors was part of efforts to improve communication between the commission and young Nigerians by using influential and relatable figures to promote electoral awareness.
“We believe that the youths are more likely to engage with electoral information when it is communicated through credible, relatable and influential voices within their communities and social networks,” he said.
He urged the ambassadors to use their platforms to promote voter education, peaceful participation and responsible citizenship, while countering electoral misinformation.
Amupitan also charged them to uphold integrity and impartiality in carrying out their duties.
In his welcome address, the National Commissioner and Chairman of INEC’s Outreach and Partnership Committee, Prof Kunle Ajayi, urged the ambassadors to speak out against electoral violence and manipulation.
He warned young Nigerians against allowing themselves to be used to disrupt elections or engage in activities that could endanger their lives.
Ajayi also called for responsible online engagement and the verification of electoral information before sharing it.
“Information now travels rapidly, and a false claim about an election can reach thousands of people before a correction is issued. I therefore ask every Youth Ambassador to adopt a simple discipline: verify before you amplify,” he said.
The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Emmanuel Olawande, represented by the Deputy Director of the Network and Social Mobilisation Department, MLami Bature, also urged the ambassadors to promote peaceful participation, electoral awareness and responsible citizenship.
He called on them to support efforts to tackle misinformation, disinformation and electoral violence, while respecting the rule of law.
Similarly, the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency, Lanre Issa-Oniru, represented by the Director of Civic Values and Democracy Education, Dr Olukemi Afolayan, urged the ambassadors to promote civic responsibility and electoral integrity ahead of the 2027 elections.
Providing an overview of the initiative, the Director of INEC’s Gender and Inclusivity Department, Lakunuya Bello, said the programme was established in 2014 to connect the commission with young Nigerians through influential youth figures.
She said the initiative was being strengthened ahead of the next general election to reach young and first-time voters through youth-friendly platforms and combat misinformation, hate speech and electoral violence.
The Deputy Director of Inclusivity, Habiba Abdulkareem Jatto, said the programme would further strengthen INEC’s engagement with young people and encourage informed and peaceful participation in the democratic process.
The nine ambassadors, drawn from the entertainment industry, include returning ambassadors and newly appointed members.
They are Amal Umar; Christopher Yohanna, popularly known as Uncle CY; Alex Kool Ibeh, also known as Mr Kool; Mike Godson; Emmanuel Ikubese; Seun Ajayi; Ibrahim Tukur Bello, known as Disability Is Not Inability; Sunday Agbaji; and Ambassador Thompson Ukeki.
The investiture featured the presentation of certificates, plaques and ambassadorial mufflers, as well as the administration of the Oath of Commitment.
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