INEC clarifies ₦1.5bn charge for Certified True Copies of the national voters’ register, citing FOI Act and duplication cost guidelines.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has explained its demand for ₦1,505,901,750 as the processing fee for Certified True Copies (CTCs) of the National Register of Voters and Polling Unit details, requested by a law firm, Messrs V.C. Ottaokpukpu and Associates.

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The clarification was issued on Thursday in Abuja by Mrs Victoria Eta-Messi, the Director of Voter Education and Publicity at INEC.

Eta-Messi said the quoted amount represented only the actual cost of document duplication and transcription, in line with the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, 2011.

According to her, the law firm requested copies of the National Register of Voters for all 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and details of all existing polling units nationwide.

She disclosed that the request was received on October 8, and INEC responded on October 13, granting approval and providing a breakdown of the applicable fees.

The figure, she noted, had generated media attention and public inquiry since the response became public.

“INEC emphasises that the cost is strictly in line with Section 8(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2011,” Eta-Messi stated.

The section provides that a public institution may charge only the actual cost of duplication and transcription when granting access to information.

Eta-Messi further explained that under INEC’s Guidelines for Processing and Issuance of CTCs, authorised by Section 15 of the Electoral Act 2022, the approved rate is ₦250 per page.

“For clarity, the National Register of Voters contains 93,469,008 registered voters, with 16 voters per page, requiring 6,018,661 pages.

“Additionally, printing details of 176,848 polling units across electoral wards nationwide will require 4,946 pages.

“The total number of pages for both requests is 6,023,607. At ₦250 per page, the total cost amounts to ₦1,505,901,750,” she explained.

The INEC official stressed that the figure reflected only duplication and transcription costs, without any extra or administrative charges.

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She reaffirmed that the commission remained committed to transparency, accountability, and prudent management of public resources.