The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has explained the rationale behind the ₦1.5 billion fee charged for the production of Certified True Copies (CTCs) of the National Register of Voters and polling unit lists requested by a private firm, Messrs V.C. Ottaokpukpu & Associates.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, October 16, 2025, and signed by the Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Mrs. Victoria Eta-Messi, the Commission said the charge was in line with legal provisions and strictly covered the actual cost of document duplication and transcription.
INEC stated that it received the request on October 8, 2025, and responded on October 13, 2025, approving the application while detailing the cost implications. The amount ₦1,505,901,750 sparked public debate after reports of the quotation surfaced online.
Citing Section 8(1) of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011, the Commission explained that public institutions are permitted to charge only the actual cost of reproducing requested information. It also referenced Section 15 of the Electoral Act, 2022, which empowers INEC to issue certified true copies of electoral documents at a fixed rate of ₦250 per page.
INEC disclosed that the National Register of Voters contains 93,469,008 registered voters, with an average of 16 names per page, resulting in 6,018,661 pages. The list of 176,848 polling units nationwide adds another 4,946 pages, bringing the total to 6,023,607 pages.
“At a unit cost of ₦250 per page, the total amount payable stands at ₦1,505,901,750,” the statement read.
The Commission stressed that the figure reflected only the duplication and certification expenses and did not include any other administrative or service fees.
“INEC remains committed to transparency, accountability, and the responsible management of public resources,” the statement added.
