President Bola Tinubu has signed the Electoral Act 2026 into law, introducing major reforms ahead of the 2027 general election.
The bill, transmitted by the National Assembly on February 17, was assented to within 24 hours after both chambers harmonised their versions.
Under the new law, the campaign spending limit for presidential candidates has been doubled from ₦5 billion to ₦10 billion, while the governorship ceiling has been increased from ₦1 billion to ₦3 billion.
Spending limits for other elective offices have also been reviewed upward. Senate candidates can now spend up to ₦500 million, House of Representatives aspirants ₦250 million, and State House of Assembly candidates ₦100 million. At the local government level, area council chairmanship candidates are capped at ₦60 million, while councillorship aspirants may spend up to ₦10 million.
Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele said the adjustments reflect economic realities and rising campaign costs, while retaining legal limits to regulate election financing.
The Electoral Act 2026 also introduces stricter penalties for electoral offences, including vote buying, impersonation, and result manipulation, with offenders facing up to two years’ imprisonment or fines of up to ₦2 million.
The law mandates the compulsory use of BVAS and electronic transmission of results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal, reinforcing transparency in Nigeria’s electoral process.
