The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has revealed that it has received new seven applications from associations seeking registration as political parties, signalling renewed political activity ahead of Nigeria’s next general election in 2027.
In a press release issued on Thursday, July 10, 2025, and signed by Sam Olumekun, National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information & Voter Education Committee of INEC, the Commission disclosed that seven new applications were received within the past week alone. The fresh additions brought the total number of pending requests to 129.
“All the requests are being processed,” the statement said.
In a significant shift from the traditional paper-based application process, INEC announced the deployment of a new digital registration platform. The platform, known as the Political Party Registration Portal, is a newly introduced module within the Party Financial Reporting and Auditing System (PFRAS).
According to the Commission, the portal aims to “make the process faster and seamless,” replacing the previously cumbersome manual method. Final testing of the portal is expected to be completed within the next one week, after which associations that meet the eligibility criteria will be invited to proceed to the application stage.
INEC also promised to issue detailed guidelines to assist associations in submitting their applications through the PFRAS portal.
