Electoral Act: How much politicians were allowed to spend in 2022 and 2026 campaigns is out
- The maximum limits on election expenses for political candidates under the Electoral Act, 2022 and 2026, have been released
- Presidential and governorship candidates were allowed to spend up to N5 billion and N1 billion, respectively in 2022, with limits rising to a substantial amount in 2026
- Senatorial and House of Representatives candidates saw their spending caps increase from N100 million and N70 million to a substantial amount, influencing campaign strategies and funding approaches
The maximum limits on election expenses for political candidates in Nigeria under the Electoral Act, 2022, and the Electoral Act, 2026, have been released, showing a substantial increase for the 2026 polls.
According to data from the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre and TheCable Index, the caps vary depending on the level of office contested.
Source: Twitter
Presidential and gubernatorial elections see the biggest rise
As reported by The Cable via Facebook, for the presidential race, candidates were allowed to spend up to N5 billion in 2022, while the 2026 limit rises to N10 billion.
Governorship campaigns also see a sharp increase, with limits moving from N1 billion in 2022 to N3 billion in 2026.
Legislative elections experience notable adjustments
Senatorial candidates’ spending limits rose from N100 million in 2022 to N500 million in 2026, while House of Representatives hopefuls saw an increase from N70 million to N250 million.
Analysts note that these adjustments may influence campaign strategies and funding approaches for political parties and candidates.
2027 election: INEC raises alarm
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has sounded a strong warning over emerging threats to Nigeria’s electoral process ahead of the 2027 elections. Legit.ng reports that INEC declared that credible polls are inseparable from national security.
Speaking on Thursday, March 26, 2026, at the second annual lecture of the alumni association of the National Institute for Security Studies (AANISS), INEC chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan (SAN), emphasised that elections and security must no longer be treated as separate concerns but as “two sides of the same coin of national stability.”
He warned that Nigeria is entering a critical phase following the release of the 2027 election timetable, noting that the scheduled presidential and National Assembly elections on January 16, 2027, and governorship polls on February 6, 2027, now represent not just political milestones but “a security trigger.”
INEC warns of election threats
Source: Facebook
According to a statement shared on the verified X (formerly Twitter) page of INEC, Amupitan identified a “sophisticated triad” of threats facing Nigeria’s elections, including social media volatility, AI-driven disinformation, and Foreign Information Manipulation (FIMI), compounded by logistical and security challenges such as insurgency and communal conflicts.
He stated: “Without a secure environment, the sovereign will of the people is not just threatened; it is silenced."
The INEC chairman stressed that restoring public trust in elections is vital to preventing unrest, warning that declining voter turnout, from 53% in 2011 to 26% in 2023, poses a serious security risk by creating a vacuum that could be exploited by destabilising actors.
INEC speaks on diaspora voting
Legit.ng earlier reported that ahead of the 2027 general elections in Nigeria, INEC chairman said there are recommendations in support of diaspora voting. The INEC boss spoke at a meeting with the resident electoral commissioners (RECs).
Diaspora voting allows non-resident Nigerians to vote and choose who leads the West African country.
Source: Legit.ng
