Lawmakers are proposing to make the Permanent Voter Card optional during elections as part of an amendment to the Electoral Act.
During a joint hearing on Monday, the Senate and House Committees on Electoral Matters presented the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2025, which includes a proposal to make the use of PVC for voting optional.
According to the proposal to amend Sections 18 and 47 of the 2022 Electoral Act, “the use of the Permanent Voter Card (PVC) will not be compulsory, since the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) does not recognize the microchip in the PVC.” “Voter cards will be available for download and printing at any time for all registered voters.” This completely eliminates the problem of purchasing and selling PVCs, as well as any associated offenses. Sections 18 and 47, as well as the removal of Section 22, reflect this.
Additionally, according to the proposed amendment, qualified voters will be able to use their birth certificate, national passport, and national identification number as additional forms of identification while casting their ballots.
The proposal said that the National Identification Number (NIN), a Nigerian passport, or a Nigerian birth certificate have been the only acceptable forms of identification for voter registration.
Additionally, the proposed amendment aims to require that all election-related lawsuits be resolved prior to the handover date of May 29, 2027.
According to the proposed modification, “the above provisions are to ensure that all litigations are concluded before swearing in.”
