The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has clarified the basis for the N1.5 billion fee quoted for the production of Certified True Copies, CTCs, of the National Register of Voters and details of polling units across Nigeria.
The Commission, in a statement by its Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Mrs. Victoria Eta-Messi, said the cost strictly reflects document duplication charges as provided by law.
The Commission said it received a request from Messrs V.C. Ottaokpukpu & Associates on 8th October 2025 for CTCs of the National Register of Voters for all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, as well as the list of existing polling units in electoral wards nationwide.
INEC noted that it approved the application on 13th October 2025, after computing the cost in line with the Freedom of Information, FOI, Act 2011 and its internal CTC processing guidelines.
“The cost is determined strictly in line with Section 8(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2011, which states that a public institution may charge an amount representing the actual cost of document duplication and transcription,” the Commission stated.
According to INEC, its Guidelines for the Processing and Issuance of Certified True Copies, CTC, of Documents, derived from Section 15 of the Electoral Act 2022, prescribe a uniform rate of N250 per page.
The Commission explained that the National Register of Voters currently contains 93,469,008 registered voters, with an average of 16 voters per page, requiring 6,018,661 pages to print.
It added that an additional 4,946 pages would be needed to produce records for the 176,848 polling units across the country.
“The total number of pages to be printed for both requests is therefore 6,023,607 at a unit cost of ₦250 per page, resulting in a total sum of N1,505,901,750,” INEC clarified.
The Commission emphasized that the amount covers only the actual cost of duplication and transcription, with no additional or hidden charges, and reaffirmed its commitment to openness in the discharge of its duties.
“INEC remains committed to transparency, accountability, and the responsible management of public resources,” the statement added.
