INEC Clarifies N1.5 Billion Fee For Certified True Copies of Voter Register
- INEC has clarified the N1,505,901,750 fee for certified true copies (CTCs) of the National Register of Voters and polling unit details requested by VC Ottaokpukpu and Associates
- The clarification was contained in a statement issued on Thursday, October 16, 2025, by Mrs Victoria Eta-Messi, director of voter education and publicity at INEC
- Eta-Messi explained that the amount represented only the actual cost of document duplication and transcription, in strict compliance with the freedom of information (FOI) Act 2011
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FCT, Abuja - Nigeria's electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has defended the huge money it charged a law firm recently.
Legit.ng reports that in a viral letter, INEC had charged V-C Ottaokpukpu and Associates over N1 billion to print copies of the national register of voters and polling units across the country.
Source: Twitter
Vincent Otaokpukpu, principal associate of the firm, wrote to INEC on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, requesting for certified true copies (CTCs) of register of voters and all existing polling units in all electoral wards in the country. Otaokpukpu banked on the freedom of information (FOI) Act 2011.
Responding to the FOI request, INEC charged V-C Ottaokpukpu and Associates a whopping N1,505,901,750.
The development elicited criticisms against INEC from Nigerians on social media, especially on X (formerly Twitter).
INEC clarifies N1.5bn fee for FOI request
Now, in a statement on Thursday, October 16, signed by Victoria Eta-Messi, director of voter education and publicity, INEC noted that the amount quoted was derived from the cost of reproducing over six million pages of documents at a unit rate of N250 per page. INEC explained that this is in line with its approved guidelines.
The agency emphasised that Section 8 (1) of the FOI Act 2011, states that "where access to information is to be given under this Act, the public institution may charge an amount representing the actual cost of document duplication and transcription."
In accordance with INEC guidelines for the processing and issuance of CTCs of documents, which draws authority from Section 15 of the Electoral Act 2022, the applicable charge is N250 per page, the agency highlighted.
INEC said:
"For clarity, the National Register of Voters for all 36 states and the FCT contains 93,469,008 registered voters, with 16 voters per page, requiring 6,018661 pages. Additionally, printing the existing polling units in the electoral wards across the country, covering 176,848 polling units, will require 4,946 pages. The total number of pages to be printed for both requests is therefore 6,023607, at a unit cost of 250 Naira per page, resulting in the total sum of 1,505,901,750 Naira."
Source: Getty Images
INEC reaffirms commitment to transparency
It added:
"The Commission wishes to assure the public that this figure reflects only the actual costs of document duplication and transcription and does not include any other charges.
"INEC remains committed to transparency, accountability, and the responsible management of public resources."
Read more INEC news:
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- Amupitan: List of INEC chairmen and the geopolitical zones they came from
- New INEC chairman: Northern youths send bold message to Tinubu
- 'Why I picked Amupitan as INEC chair", Tinubu breaks silence
Senate confirms Amupitan as INEC boss
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the senate confirmed Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) as the new INEC chairman.
The confirmation came after a two-hour session in which senators questioned the nominee on issues ranging from electoral reforms and policy implementation to institutional independence and the Electoral Act.
During the screening, Professor Amupitan assured lawmakers of his commitment to strengthening electoral integrity in Nigeria.
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Source: Legit.ng
