The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that 14 associations seeking registration as political parties have scaled through the first stage of its screening process.

In a statement issued on Thursday, September 11, 2025, by its National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, the Commission disclosed that it received a total of 171 applications from groups seeking political party status.

Each request, according to INEC, was assessed based on its compliance with Section 222 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Section 79 of the Electoral Act 2022, and the Commission’s Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties 2022.

Out of the total applications, only 14 met the requirements to advance to the next stage, while 157 fell short. The Commission noted that the names of the 14 pre-qualified associations have been published on its official website and platforms for public information.

INEC further invited the interim Chairmen and Secretaries of the shortlisted associations to a briefing scheduled for Wednesday, September 17, 2025, at its headquarters in Abuja. The Commission also confirmed that it would physically verify all claims made by the associations in line with existing regulations before making a final determination on their registration.

Reiterating that party registration is a continuous process, INEC assured that it remains open to future applications that meet the stipulated legal requirements.