The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that over 1.58 million Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) have been picked up across the Federal Capital Territory in preparation for the area council elections set for Saturday, February 21, 2026.
The information was disclosed in a statement released on Thursday and endorsed by INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna.
INEC reported a strong turnout during the PVC distribution exercise, indicating significant voter preparedness ahead of the polls.
As of the close of collection on February 10, 2026, the commission said 1,680,315 voters were registered in the FCT. Of that number, 1,587,025 PVCs had been collected, representing a 94.4 percent collection rate, while 93,290 cards were yet to be retrieved.
The commission described participation levels across the six area councils as encouraging. Abaji recorded 75,517 collected PVCs out of 79,471 registered voters, reflecting a 95.0 percent rate. Bwari had 276,360 collections from 295,711 registered voters, amounting to 93.5 percent.
Gwagwalada posted 196,184 collected PVCs from 208,057 registered voters, translating to 94.3 percent. Kuje recorded the highest percentage, with 144,109 cards collected from 148,286 registered voters, representing 97.2 percent. Kwali registered 99,774 collections out of 107,203 voters, a 93.1 percent rate. The Municipal Area Council recorded 795,081 collected PVCs from 841,587 registered voters, amounting to 94.5 percent.
INEC further noted that several Registration Areas surpassed a 99 percent collection rate, pointing to robust grassroots engagement.
The commission praised residents for their cooperation during the Continuous Voter Registration and PVC collection processes, stating that the data reflects strong citizen readiness for the elections.
The statement stressed that “only duly registered voters in possession of valid PVCs will be allowed to vote on Election Day,” while assuring that preparations had been finalised to guarantee a free, fair, and credible election.
The FCT Area Council elections remain the only local government polls in Nigeria conducted directly by INEC rather than state electoral bodies. Voters across Abaji, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, and Kwali will elect six chairmen and 62 councillors across 68 constituencies.
INEC also confirmed that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) will be deployed at all polling units, with results electronically transmitted to its Result Viewing Portal. Movement restrictions will be in effect from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on election day, while security agencies have assured of adequate deployment to maintain order. Campaign activities officially concluded at midnight on February 19.