Field report: PVC collection gaps still locking out 1 in 5 youth voters

A two-week field audit conducted by RHGN's South-East Cluster across Anambra and Enugu States has found that roughly one in five youth voters who registered in the last continuous voter registration window have yet to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

The audit covered 42 INEC collection centres and gathered responses from more than 1,800 young registrants between the ages of 18 and 35.

The two most cited barriers were uneven office hours at collection centres — with several centres opening late or closing before advertised times — and unclear rules around card redistribution for voters who registered in a different ward from where they now live.

RHGN volunteers have begun a "Collect Your PVC" awareness drive in the affected LGAs, publishing verified centre hours and accompanying first-time voters through the collection process.

The cluster has formally shared its findings with INEC's state offices and recommended extended weekend collection hours in high-density urban wards before the next registration cycle closes.