The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Joint Campus Council (JCC), Lagos Axis, has called for a more student-friendly approach to voter registration during a proposed collaboration meeting with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Lagos State office.
The meeting, held on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, at the INEC Lagos State Headquarters in Sabo, Yaba, brought together key officials of the Commission and representatives of the student body, led by the Chairman of NANS JCC Lagos Axis, Comrade Quadri Ishola Odewunmi.
Other members of the NANS JCC Lagos leadership in attendance included the Vice Chairman, Comrade Lamina Ayomide Bright; the General Secretary, Comrade Adetola Dorcas Olagunju; alongside other student leaders across institutions in Lagos State.
In his presentation, Comrade Odewunmi highlighted the challenges students face in accessing the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) process. He noted that the timing for registration and biometric capturing often clashes with academic schedules, as students are typically engaged in lectures, assignments, and examinations during operational hours.
He stressed that students form a significant portion of the voting population and should not be disenfranchised due to structural limitations. The Chairman therefore appealed to INEC to develop a more flexible and inclusive model that accommodates the academic realities of students.
As part of his proposal, he urged the Commission to consider deploying mobile registration and biometric capturing teams directly to tertiary institutions across Lagos State. According to him, this approach would significantly improve accessibility, increase participation, and encourage active civic engagement among students.
Responding on behalf of the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Abayomi Salami, the Head of ICT, Mr. Muyiwa Yusuf, commended the initiative of the student leadership and acknowledged the importance of youth inclusion in the electoral process. Other officials present at the meeting included Mrs. Esther Emeh of Voter Education and Publicity, Mr. Nurudeen Lanase, Director of Operations, and Mr. Tope Adenugba, Director of ICT.
In their responses, the INEC officials expressed readiness to collaborate with NANS JCC Lagos. They assured that the Commission would be willing to visit campuses to conduct biometric capturing and complete registration processes, provided that a substantial number of students have successfully completed their CVR pre-registration.
They further noted that such an arrangement would require the student body to provide a conducive and secure environment for the setup and operation of registration equipment.
The meeting concluded on a positive note, with both parties reaffirming their commitment to strengthening collaboration toward improving voter registration turnout among students and enhancing youth participation in Nigeria’s democratic process.
