The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that it has now received 129 applications from groups aiming to become registered political parties in Nigeria.
This update was shared after INEC’s weekly meeting held on Thursday, July 10, 2025. In a statement signed by Sam Olumekun, the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, it was noted that seven new applications came in within the last week, adding to an already long list.
“At its regular weekly meeting held today, Thursday 10th July 2025, the commission received a further update on additional requests from associations seeking registration as political parties.
“Since last week, seven more applications have been received, bringing the total number so far to 129. All the requests are being processed,” the commission stated.
Along with this development, INEC has revealed plans to introduce a new online portal for party registration. This move is aimed at improving the current registration process and reducing delays caused by manual methods. The portal, which is part of the Party Financial Reporting and Auditing System (PFRAS), is currently undergoing final testing.
“Unlike the manual method used in previous registration, the Commission is introducing a political party registration portal, which is a module in our Party Financial Reporting and Auditing System.
“This will make the process faster and seamless. In the next week, the commission will conclude the final testing of the portal before deployment.
“Thereafter, the next step for associations that meet the requirements to proceed to the application stage will be announced. The commission will also issue guidelines to facilitate the filing of applications using the PFRAS,” the statement added.
Olumekun further noted that once testing is complete, the commission will roll out guidelines to help associations properly use the portal. He added that INEC is committed to ensuring transparency and fairness in the registration process.
