In a sign of renewed political energy ahead of future elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed receiving 110 applications from groups seeking registration as political parties in Nigeria.
INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this development on Wednesday, noting that the Commission is currently reviewing the requests in accordance with Nigeria’s Electoral Act and INEC’s 2022 Guidelines and Regulations for Political Parties.
“As of Monday, June 23, 2025, the Commission has received letters of intent from 110 associations aspiring to become registered political parties,” Yakubu said. “We are diligently processing each application based on established legal procedures and our internal guidelines.”
According to the INEC boss, 104 of the applications have already been formally acknowledged, while the remaining six — received more recently — will be acknowledged before the end of the week.
Yakubu encouraged Nigerians, particularly stakeholders seeking registration, to familiarize themselves with the Commission’s Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties (2022) — available on INEC’s official website — to ensure compliance and transparency.
In a move to ensure openness, INEC has also released a comprehensive list of all 110 applying associations. The document includes their proposed names, acronyms, addresses, as well as the names of their provisional Chairmen and Secretaries.
“The full list will be published on our website and social media channels shortly. Hard copies have also been provided to stakeholders attending this meeting,” Yakubu added.
This surge in political registration efforts comes amid growing public calls for alternatives to the established parties and reflects a wider trend of political diversification across the country.
