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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has stirred controversy after reportedly demanding ₦1.5 billion as the production cost for releasing a certified true copy of Nigeria’s National Register of Voters and the list of all polling units nationwide.
The amount was contained in an official response by the Commission to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request filed by Abuja-based law firm, V-C Ottaokpukpu & Associates, led by public affairs analyst and lawyer, Vincent Otaokpukpu.
The firm had, in a letter dated October 8, 2025, sought access to the documents under the Freedom of Information Act 2011.
INEC, in its reply signed by Secretary Rose Oriaran-Anthony and dated October 13, 2025, approved the request under Section 15 of the Electoral Act 2022 but directed the applicant to first pay ₦1,505,901,750 “to cover the cost of production.”
The payment, according to the letter, should be made through INEC’s official Remita Retrieval Reference (RRR) platform before the documents could be processed.
The Commission explained that the figure represented “the actual cost” of producing a certified copy of the register, which contains data of over 93 million registered voters compiled for the 2023 general elections.
It maintained that the request fell within its obligations of transparency and disclosure under both the Electoral Act and the FOI law.
The revelation has provoked widespread criticism, with many Nigerians describing the ₦1.5 billion charge as outrageous and an attempt to frustrate public access to information.
Analysts and civil rights groups have argued that the fee “grossly contradicts” the FOI Act, which stipulates that only reasonable duplication and processing costs may be charged.
One commentator described INEC’s move as “a mockery of transparency,” noting that past requests for state-level registers cost far less, while others questioned why a physical copy would attract such a bill in a digital era.
The controversy comes as INEC continues its Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, with over six million Nigerians reportedly beginning online pre-registration since August 2025.