2027 Election: 7 Key Activities and Dates to Watch for as INEC Releases Official Timetable
- INEC announced the 2027 election dates for presidential and National Assembly elections in Nigeria
- Key activities include primaries, candidate submissions, and campaign periods for upcoming elections
- Political stakeholders are calling for electoral reforms as INEC pledges transparency ahead of the next general polls
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering politics, elections, public affairs and governance in Nigeria and Africa.
FCT, Abuja - The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections for Saturday, February 20, 2027.
Legit.ng reported that the electoral body also fixed the governorship and state Assembly elections for Saturday, 6 March 2027.
Source: Twitter
INEC unveils 2027 election timetable
INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan announced the timetable and schedule of the elections at a press conference in Abuja on Friday, February 13, 2026.
He stated that the announcement was in line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution and Section 28(1) of the Electoral Act 2022, which requires the commission to publish notice of elections not later than 360 days before the appointed date.
The announcement comes amid debate over the Electoral Amendment Bill before the National Assembly.
The 2027 general election will cover the offices of president and vice president, governors and deputy governors in eligible states, and members of the Senate, the House of Representatives, and the state Houses of Assembly.
Source: Twitter
Legit.ng gathered that the detailed timetable and schedule of activities have been uploaded to INEC’s website and circulated to registered political parties and stakeholders.
The 2027 timetable continues the commission’s long-term planning framework introduced under former chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, which sought to provide predictability in election scheduling and reduce logistical setbacks.
Pre-election activities will include continuous voter registration, party primaries, candidate nominations and the deployment of technology for voter verification and result collation. INEC said preparations will be concluded ahead of the polls to safeguard transparency.
Meanwhile, the commission addressed ongoing discussions around electoral reforms, acknowledging calls to strengthen the legal framework to reflect evolving democratic expectations.
Political parties have called on federal lawmakers to expedite consideration of the amendment bill.
7 takeaways from INEC’s 2027 timetable
In light of INEC’s announcement, Legit.ng outlines seven key activities and dates to watch for in the 2027 elections:
- Political parties primaries: Conducted between July 1 and September 30, 2026.
- Submission of candidates' lists: Political parties submit lists to INEC between October 1 and October 31, 2026.
- Publication of final candidates' list: November 15, 2026.
- Campaign period (Presidential and National Assembly elections): November 18, 2026, to February 19, 2027.
- Campaign period (Governorship and state House of Assembly polls): December 15, 2026, to March 5, 2027.
- Presidential and National Assembly elections: Saturday, February 20, 2027.
- Governorship and state House of Assembly Elections: Saturday, March 6, 2027.
Read more on INEC:
- INEC chairman mentions what Ghana learned from Nigeria
- Ballot boxes destroyed as fire razes INEC office in Delta
- 715 INEC offices moved out of LG secretariats, chairman speaks
INEC speaks on diaspora voting
Legit.ng earlier reported that ahead of the 2027 general elections in Nigeria, the INEC chairman said there are recommendations in support of diaspora voting.
The INEC boss spoke at a meeting with the resident electoral commissioners (RECs).
Source: Legit.ng
