Ahead of the upcoming Anambra governorship and the 2027 general election polls, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has pledged to deepen collaboration with the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to enhance voter education, mobilisation, and public engagement.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made the commitment when he received the Director-General of the NOA, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, who was on a courtesy visit to the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
Prof. Yakubu described the visit as timely and strategic, acknowledging NOA’s critical role in shaping public perception and civic behaviour.
He noted that the partnership between INEC and NOA has been longstanding, underscoring the agency’s importance as a key stakeholder in Nigeria’s electoral process.
“As the national election management body, our mandate cannot be fulfilled in isolation. It requires collaboration with institutions like the NOA that possess grassroots reach and influence,” Yakubu said.
“Your role in advocacy and sensitisation is central to increasing voter turnout and inclusive participation, especially among under represented groups such as women, youths, and Persons with Disabilities.”
The INEC Chairman praised NOA’s recent innovations under Issa-Onilu’s leadership, particularly the establishment of the “NOA Content Factory” comprising NOA TV, NOA Radio, and The Explainer newsletter.
He also commended the agency’s ICT-driven outreach strategies, such as virtual hackathons and its move towards AI-powered data management areas he described as “crucial for strategic communication in today’s digital age.”
Yakubu expressed INEC’s interest in deeper collaboration through its Voter Education and Publicity department as well as the newly created Artificial Intelligence Division under its ICT Department.
He called on NOA to work closely with political parties, civil society organisations, and the media to drive greater civic engagement.
“While INEC will continue with its own voter education campaigns, we need NOA to step up its grassroots efforts to complement ours. This is crucial to reversing voter apathy,” he stated.
The INEC Chairman disclosed that NOA has already been integrated into the expanded Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) and will continue to play an active role in the soon to be revamped National Inter-Agency Committee on Voter Education and Publicity (NICVEP).
He further noted that the visit comes at a crucial juncture in INEC’s electoral calendar, with the Anambra state governorship election scheduled for November 8, 2025, and preparations intensifying for the 2027 general elections.
He announced that the nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise would commence with an online pre-registration portal opening on August 18, followed by in person registration starting August 25, 2025.
Prof. Yakubu expressed confidence in the NOA’s capacity under its new leadership and assured continued collaboration in the interest of a credible and inclusive electoral process.
Director General of NOA, Issa Lanre-Onilu had earlier outlined some of his achievements since he was appointed by President Bola Tinubu, which included among other things the restoration of morale of the workforce.