The National Assembly has increased the campaign spending limit for presidential candidates to ₦10 billion and raised the ceiling for governorship candidates to ₦3 billion under the Electoral Act, 2026.
The harmonised version of the Electoral Bill, passed by both chambers of the National Assembly, was transmitted to President Bola Tinubu for assent on February 17, ahead of the 2027 general election.
President Tinubu signed the bill into law within 24 hours of its transmission, bringing to a close a two-year consultative process on electoral reforms.
The Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, disclosed the revisions in a statement issued on Sunday by his Directorate of Media and Public Affairs, while outlining key reforms introduced in the new electoral framework.
Revised Campaign Spending Limits
Under the repealed Electoral Act, 2022, presidential candidates were allowed to spend up to ₦5 billion, while governorship candidates were limited to ₦1 billion.
The 2026 Act also raises the campaign spending limit for Senate candidates from ₦100 million to ₦500 million, while the ceiling for House of Representatives candidates has been increased from ₦70 million to ₦250 million.
For State House of Assembly elections, the spending limit has been raised from ₦30 million to ₦100 million.
RELATED NEWS:
- Electoral Act 2026: Tinubu Defends Assent as Opposition, Civil Groups Protest
- Electoral Act 2026: Lagos APC Defends Tinubu, Labels Opposition Noisemakers
- ActionAid Nigeria Rejects 2026 Electoral Act, Calls for Immediate Amendments
- Reps Clash over Bid to Rescind Electoral Act Amendment
Area council chairmanship candidates can now spend up to ₦60 million, up from ₦30 million, while councillorship candidates are permitted to spend ₦10 million, compared to the previous ₦5 million limit.
Bamidele said the upward review of campaign spending limits under Section 92(1–8) reflects prevailing economic realities and rising campaign costs, while retaining statutory limits to regulate election financing.
He added that enforcement provisions remain in place to sanction candidates who exceed the prescribed thresholds.
Penalties for Electoral Offences
The Senate Leader said the Electoral Act, 2026, introduces stiffer penalties for electoral offences as part of broader reforms to strengthen Nigeria’s electoral process.
According to him, Section 125(1–2) prescribes a penalty of two years’ imprisonment or a fine ranging from ₦500,000 to ₦2 million, or both, for offences such as vote-buying, impersonation and result manipulation.
He also said Section 60(6) provides for a six-month jail term or a fine of ₦500,000, or both, for any presiding officer who wilfully frustrates the electronic transmission of election results.
Bamidele noted that the provision aligns with public demands for accountability in the electoral process.
He added that the law also imposes sanctions on presiding officers who refuse to transmit results electronically from polling units to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV).
Transparency and Election Administration
He clarified that IReV is not a collation platform but a transparency tool, noting that a full electronic collation system would require separate planning.
Bamidele further cited Section 74(1), which mandates resident electoral commissioners to release certified true copies of election documents within 24 hours after payment, with failure attracting a minimum of two years’ imprisonment without an option of fine.
He said Section 72(2) provides that a certified true copy of a court order shall be sufficient for the swearing-in of any candidate declared winner by the court where INEC fails, refuses, or neglects to issue a certificate of return.
The Senate Leader added that the new law mandates the compulsory use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and electronic transmission of results to IReV.
Stakeholder Consultations and Objectives
He said the Electoral Act, 2026, was the product of extensive collaboration involving the National Assembly, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, civil society organisations, INEC and development partners.
According to him, the Act is designed to enhance electoral credibility, reduce disputes and strengthen democratic governance in Nigeria.
Rafiyat Sadiq is a political, justice, and human rights reporter with Pinnacle Daily, known for fearless reporting and impactful storytelling. At Pinnacle Daily, she brings clarity and depth to issues shaping governance, democracy, and the protection of citizens’ rights.
