The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that the third and final phase of the nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise will run from Monday, 11 May 2026, to Friday, 10 July 2026.

This final window is the last opportunity for eligible Nigerians to register or update their records before the 2027 General Elections.

The announcement was contained in a statement released by the Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna.

According to the Commission, the exercise is part of efforts to ensure that all qualified Nigerians are captured in the voter register before preparations for the 2027 polls move into full gear.

INEC explained that the second phase of the registration exercise was suspended on April 17 to allow for the review and clean-up of records after the publication of claims and objections submitted by registrants.

The Commission said the final phase will run for two months and urged citizens who have attained the age of 18, as well as those who were unable to register during earlier phases, to seize the opportunity.

It stated, “The third phase of the CVR, commencing on Monday, 11th May 2026, will conclude on Friday, 10th July 2026.

“During this timeframe, eligible citizens who have reached the age of 18, as well as those who were unable to register in the previous phases, are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to register.”

INEC also advised already registered voters seeking to transfer their registration to new locations, replace lost or damaged Permanent Voter Cards, or correct personal details to make use of the Commission’s online portal or visit its offices in states and local government areas nationwide.

The Commission noted that following the close of registration, the voters’ register will be displayed for public scrutiny.

It added, “In continuation of the process, the Commission will display the Register of Voters for claims and objections from Thursday, 23rd July to Wednesday, 29th July 2026.

“This statutory exercise offers a significant opportunity for citizens to review the register and assist the Commission in ensuring its accuracy, completeness, and credibility.”

INEC assured Nigerians that all logistics and administrative arrangements have been concluded to guarantee a smooth exercise across the federation.

The Commission further appealed to citizens to actively participate, stressing that voter registration remains a critical step in strengthening Nigeria’s democratic process.

The fresh registration exercise is expected to draw significant participation, especially from first-time voters and Nigerians who recently relocated to new states or local government areas.

Nigeria’s Federal Government has officially banned honorary degree recipients from using the “Dr” prefix before their names, declaring that such usage now constitutes academic fraud.

It declared that the use of the title by such recipients constitutes a misrepresentation of academic credentials, which will henceforth be treated as academic fraud, with attendant legal and reputational consequences.

The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, announced this directive on Wednesday, stating that the decision was approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to restore integrity to Nigeria’s academic system and curb the “indiscriminate conferment” of titles for political or financial gain.

Alausa, who appeared alongside the Minister of State for Education, Prof Suwaiba Ahmad, said the FEC approved a uniform policy for the award and use of honorary degrees by Nigerian universities.

The policy, he explained, is designed to end what he described as decades of indiscriminate conferral of degrees for political patronage and financial gain, and to restore public confidence in the integrity of academic titles.

He said, “The recent trend we’ve seen with the award of honorary degrees has revealed a growing abuse and politicisation of this academic privilege.

“We’ve seen awards being used for political patronage, for financial gain, as well as the conferral of awards on serving public officials, which, as part of the ethics of honorary degree awards, should not happen.”

Under the new policy, recipients of honorary degrees may no longer put “Dr” before their names.

Instead, they must cite the full honorary designation after their name.

Giving examples, Alausa explained, “For instance, you can use Chief Louis Clark, D.Lit. (Doctor of Literature, Honoris Causa)” or “Mrs Miriam Adamu, LL.D. Hons.”

Alausa said this format clearly reflects the honorary rather than earned academic nature of the award.

“Recipients shall not prefix doctor to their names in official, academic or professional usage,” the minister said, adding, “Misrepresentation of honorary degrees as earned academic credentials shall be considered academic fraud and subject to legal and reputational consequences.”

The policy also restricts the types of honorary degrees Nigerian universities can confer to four: Doctor of Laws (LL.D), Doctor of Letters (D.Lit), Doctor of Science (D.Sc), and Doctor of Humanities (D.Arts).

It further bars universities without active PhD-awarding programmes from conferring honorary degrees at all.

Alausa said the restriction was aimed at addressing the proliferation of newer institutions that have been awarding honorary doctorates despite being less than five years old and lacking postgraduate research programmes.

The minister noted that all honorary degrees must carry the words “honorary” or “Honoris Causa” on the award certificate and in all references.

For over a decade, concerns over the commercialisation and politicisation of honorary degrees have been raised in Nigeria’s academic community, with universities often accused of awarding the degrees to wealthy donors and public officials in exchange for financial patronage rather than merit.

In 2012, the Association of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities attempted to address the challenge in what became known as the Keffi Declaration.

The declaration outlined guiding principles for the award of honorary degrees. However, it had no legal or executive backing and was therefore largely ignored, Alausa said on Wednesday.

He explained, “The association doesn’t have any legal backing to enforce anything.

“That is why we brought this to the Federal Executive Council, which now gives it legal and executive backing.”

The minister said the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Universities Commission (NUC) will issue a circular to all vice-chancellors, registrars, and governing councils in this regard.

He also noted that convocation programmes will be monitored for compliance with the policy, and the government will collaborate with the media to discourage improper attribution of academic titles to honorary recipients.

The ministry will also publish annually a list of legitimate honorary degree recipients to protect the integrity of earned academic qualifications, Alausa said.

He noted that the NUC has the statutory power to enforce the policy.

In the ongoing trial over an alleged plot to overthrow the administration of President Bola Tinubu, Islamic cleric Sheikh Bukar Kashim Goni claimed that over ₦10 million he received from a military officer was strictly for prayers and religious activities.

The video recording of Goni’s extra-judicial statement was played at the federal high court in Abuja on Tuesday.

The federal government is prosecuting Goni, Muhammed Ibrahim Gana, a retired major general; Erasmus Ochegobia Victor, a retired navy captain; Ahmed Ibrahim, a serving police inspector; Zekeri Umoru; and Abdulkadir Sani on a 13-count charge bordering on alleged treason and terrorism.

Ma’aji was mentioned in the charge sheet as a colonel but he was not charged as a defendant.

The defendants were accused of plotting to overthrow the Bola Tinubu administration.

They have pleaded not guilty.

According to NAN, the Islamic cleric, in a video recording played in court, said he relocated to Karu in Abuja after fleeing insurgency in Maiduguri in Borno.

The cleric said the funds from one Ma’aji was strictly for prayers and charitable purposes, including requests for spiritual intervention following an alleged promotion setback.

The investigators queried the cleric on why the funds were transferred to him as early as March 2023, months before the alleged promotion issues he referenced.

The investigators told the cleric that his financial records show transactions running into millions of naira, including a N10 million transfer in October 2024.

ANOTHER VIDEO RECORDING

Another video recording of Umoru’s extra-judicial statement was played in court.

Umoru served in the maintenance department of the presidential villa in Abuja as an employee of Julius Berger Nigeria.

Umoru told investigators how he was contacted by an individual later identified as key figures in the case, through the 3rd defendant, Ahmed Ibrahim, a police inspector attached to the Presidential Clinic in Abuja.

The defendant said Ibrahim introduced him to a man called Hassan Mohammed, who he later identified as “Col. Mohammed Ma’aji”, on the pretext of offering him electrical work at a building under construction.

The defendant said he initially thought Ma’aji was a civilian businessman.

He said he received money transfers from Ma’aji multiple times even in the presence of Ibrahim.

He added that he met with Ma’aji and another associate, Usman, who he discovered was a military officer, on numerous occasions.

The defendant told investigators that on September 24, 2025, Ma’aji allegedly handed Umoru a ‘Ghana-Must-Go’ bag containing cash.

The Julius Berger employee said he deposited the money at a branch of Zenith Bank, where it was counted as N8.8 million.

He told investigators that when he became uncomfortable with the continuous flow of money from Ma’aji, he asked Ibrahim for clarification.

The defendant said Ibrahim told him that Ma’aji was dissatisfied with the state of the country and was planning to “sanitise the government”, allegedly with the support of unnamed associates described as “boys”.

He further alleged that Ibrahim suggested a plan involving an ambulance driver to facilitate access into the presidential villa, with expectations of financial gain.

In the video, the defendant said he was unaware of any concrete plan to overthrow the government and insisted that his participation was unintentional.

Joyce Abdulmalik, the trial judge, adjourned further hearing to May 11, May 12 and May 13.