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The short answer
No. Under the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act 2022, voter registration and voting are limited to people in Nigeria; section 77(2) of the Constitution ties registration to residence in Nigeria, and INEC has said it can only act within that framework. As at February 2026 INEC was still waiting for an amended Electoral Act, and none of the reports we checked showed a change allowing diaspora voting. A Nigerian in the UK can only register, transfer a registration or vote in person in Nigeria.
With a general election due in 2027, many Nigerians in the UK are asking whether they can register, collect a Permanent Voter Card (PVC) or vote from London, Manchester or anywhere else. The short answer has not changed for years, but the debate around it has. This guide sets out what the law says, what INEC has said, and what is still possible for someone who lives abroad.
What the law says
Reporting on remarks by the then INEC chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, at Chatham House in January 2023, TheCable summarised the legal position:
- The 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act 2022 limit voter registration and voting to people within Nigeria.
- Section 77(2) of the Constitution ties voter registration to residence in Nigeria.
- Sections 132(5) and 178(5) apply the same residency requirement to presidential and governorship elections.
Professor Yakubu said the commission "only acts in accordance with the electoral legal framework", which is why diaspora voting could not be implemented. In other words, INEC cannot simply decide to open polling in the UK; the Constitution and the Electoral Act would both need to change.
Where the reform stands
There have been repeated calls for change. In June 2025, NAN reported the president of NANS-Diaspora urging the Federal Government to speed up constitutional amendments so Nigerians abroad could vote, "beginning with the 2027 elections". In February 2026, AllAfrica reported that INEC, now chaired by Professor Joash Amupitan, had finalised its 2027 timetable but was still waiting for the National Assembly to pass an amended Electoral Act, and would work under the existing framework until a new law was signed. That report did not mention diaspora voting.
What a change would involve
INEC has said for years that it is ready in principle. In November 2020, Peoples Gazette reported Professor Yakubu telling reporters, after a Senate committee hearing on INEC's budget, that the commission had "already worked out the document" for diaspora voting and could roll it out "once the law is amended". He said INEC had held several meetings with the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) but "can't go beyond what the law provides."
So two things would have to happen before anyone could vote from the UK: the National Assembly and state assemblies would need to amend the Constitution's residence requirement, and the Electoral Act would need provisions for registering and voting abroad. Only then could INEC set out where and how Nigerians in the UK would vote, whether at missions, by post or otherwise. Until both changes are law, any announcement about "diaspora voting" is a proposal, not a right.
What a Nigerian in the UK can do
If you already have a PVC
Your registration is tied to a polling unit in Nigeria. If you are in Nigeria on election day, you can vote there in person with your PVC. Keep the card safe in the UK; it is also used as identification by some Nigerian banks and telcos. If you plan to be in a different part of Nigeria at election time, INEC handles requests to transfer a registration to another polling unit during its registration windows, which take place in Nigeria; check INEC's announcements for the current window and steps.
If you have never registered
Registration is done in Nigeria. A visit home during an INEC registration window is the only route under the current law. Bring your identification; your NIN is useful to have in order, and our guide to getting a NIN in the UK covers that step.
If you want to take part from abroad
- Follow and support the reform debate through diaspora organisations and your representatives in the National Assembly.
- Stay registered and keep your details accurate, so you can vote when you are home.
- Be wary of anyone offering to "register you from abroad" or "collect your PVC by proxy" for a fee; that is not a service under the law as reported.
Planning a trip home to vote
If you want to vote in 2027, the practical question is timing. Election dates are set in INEC's timetable; as at February 2026 the commission said it had finalised its schedule but some parts might change once a new law was signed. Book travel only once INEC has published final dates, allow for the possibility of a postponement, and make sure you will be near your registered polling unit. Carry your PVC; it is the card you vote with.
What to check first
- Has a new Electoral Act or constitutional amendment been signed since February 2026? Check INEC's own announcements.
- Is your PVC registration at the polling unit nearest where you will be on election day?
- Is your Nigerian identity in order: NIN, passport and phone line? See keeping a Nigerian SIM active from the UK.
- For other services from London, see the Nigeria High Commission's sections and contacts; it does not run voter registration.
Questions people ask
Can Nigerians in the UK vote in the 2027 election?
Not from the UK under the law as reported up to February 2026. Registration and voting are tied to residence in Nigeria; you can vote in person in Nigeria if you are registered.
Can I register for a PVC at the Nigeria High Commission in London?
No. Voter registration takes place in Nigeria during INEC's registration windows.
Why can't Nigerians abroad vote?
Section 77(2) of the 1999 Constitution ties voter registration to residence in Nigeria, and the Electoral Act 2022 follows that. INEC has said it can only act within the legal framework.
Can I transfer my PVC while I am abroad?
Transfers are handled by INEC in Nigeria during its registration windows. Check INEC's current announcements for the steps.
Sources
- TheCable: INEC chair makes case for diaspora voting (18 January 2023) · accessed Oct 2026
- AllAfrica: INEC finalises 2027 election timetable, awaits new electoral law (4 February 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- NAN News: NANS seeks constitutional amendment for diaspora voting (6 June 2025) · accessed Oct 2026
- Peoples Gazette: INEC to resume voter registration, says diaspora voting hampered by law (4 November 2020) · accessed Oct 2026
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