Nigeria on Sunday extended the collection of permanent voter cards by two weeks ahead of the forthcoming national polls in the West African country.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Nigeria's electoral body, said it was extending the voter cards' collection for the second time because it thought it would offer the last opportunity for duly registered persons to be able to participate in the election.

This implies that without the voter cards, electorates will not be able to perform their civic rights in the election.

An official statement signed by INEC spokesman, Kayode Idowu, said the extension of voter cards' collection will be effected nationwide till March 22, six days to the rescheduled presidential election in Africa's most populous country.

The electoral body had earlier shifted the deadline for collection of voter cards last month, to allow voters to have enough time to pick the cards in designated areas across the country, after the national polls was shifted from Feb. 14 to March 28.

Governorship elections will also take place on April 11, according to the electoral body.