Di Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) don talk why dem charge ₦1.5 billion for di Freedom of Information (FOI) request wey one law firm, Messrs V.C. Ottaokpukpu & Associates, submit to get certified copies of Nigeria voter register and polling unit details.
Di request enter INEC office on October 8, 2025, and di commission reply on October 13, approve am but add say di total cost go reach ₦1,505,901,750. As di matter leak online, many Nigerians begin ask why di cost high like that.
INEC Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi, come issue statement on Thursday to clear air. She talk say di fee base on Section 8(1) of di Freedom of Information Act 2011 wey allow government offices to collect only di “actual cost” of document duplication and transcription.
She still mention Section 15 of di Electoral Act 2022 wey fix ₦250 per page for certified true copies.
INEC explain say Nigeria National Register of Voters get 93,469,008 names, and with 16 voters per page, e go need over 6 million pages to print. Add polling unit details for 176,848 locations and e go make total of 6,023,607 pages. Multiply by ₦250 per page and you go get di ₦1.5bn cost.
INEC insist say di amount no get any hidden charge, na just di printing and certification cost alone.
Di commission also say dem still stand for transparency and good use of public money.
As di news spread, Nigerians react for social media — some say di fee too high especially for digital age, but others defend INEC say di law demand certified physical copies, and dat kind work go cost money.
Di approval letter wey INEC Secretary Rose Oriaran-Anthony sign direct di requester make dem pay through di INEC Remita system before di process go continue.
