The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has explained that the sum of 1,505,901,750 it charged a law firm for the duplication of Certified True Copies (CTCs) of the National Register of Voters was in line with the Freedom of Information Act (FOI).
INEC Director, Voter Education & Publicity, Mrs.Victoria Eta-Messi, in a statement issued Thursday said the commission received the recent request from Messrs V.C. Ottaokpukpu & Associates for Certified True Copies (CTCs) of the National Register.
She noted that the Commission received the request on 8th October 2025 and responded on 13th October, 2025, approving the application while outlining the cost for processing and issuance.
Eta-Messi stressed that the sum quoted – N1,505,901,750 – has become a subject of media attention and public inquiry.
The commission emphasised that the cost was determined strictly in line with the provisions of Section 8(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2011, which states that:
“Where access to information is to be given under this Act, the public institution may charge an amount representing the actual cost of document duplication and transcription.”
Eta-Messi added: “In accordance with INEC Guidelines for the Processing and Issuance of Certified True Copies (CTC) of Documents, which draws authority from Section 15 of the Electoral Act 2022, the applicable charge is 250 Naira per page.
“For clarity, the National Register of Voters for all 36 states and the FCT contains 93,469,008 registered voters, with 16 voters per page, requiring 6,018661 pages.
“Additionally, printing the existing polling units in the electoral wards across the country, covering 176,848 polling units, will require 4,946 pages.
The total number of pages to be printed for both “requests is therefore 6,023607, at a unit cost of 250 Naira per page, resulting in the total sum of 1,505,901,750 Naira.”
The Commission assured the public that this figure reflects only the actual costs of document duplication and transcription and does not include any other charges.
The electoral body said it remained committed to transparency, accountability, and the responsible management of public resources.