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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially fixed February 20, 2027, for Presidential and National Assembly elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed this while briefing journalists on Friday in Abuja.
He said the Governorship and State Assembly elections will also be held on the same day on March 6, 2027, two weeks after the presidential election.
Amupitan said with the announcement of the time table the Commission had formally set in motion the electoral process in line with constitutional and legal requirements.
He explained that the tenure of the president, vice president, governors, and deputy governors except in Anambra, Bayelsa, Edo, Ekiti, Imo, Kogi, Ondo, and Osun states will expire on May 28, 2027, while the National and State Assemblies dissolve on June 8, 2027.
Amupitan said pursuant to Sections 76(2), 116 (2), 132 (2) and 178 (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), elections to the said offices shall hold not earlier than 150 days and not later than 30 days before the expiration of the term of office of` the last holder of that office.
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He added that the action is taken pursuant to the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and Section 28(1) of the Electoral Act, 2022, which mandate the Commission to publish the Notice of Election not later than 360 days before the date appointed for the election.
“In exercise of the powers conferred on the Commission by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and the Electoral Act, 2022 and of all other powers enabling it in that behalf, the Commission hereby sets in motion the electoral process for the 2027 General Elections and fixes the date for the 2027 General Elections as follows:
“Presidential and National Assembly – 20th February 2027. Governorship and State Houses of Assembly – 6th March 2027,” he said.
INEC, in the timetable published, said political parties are required to submit their registers of members to INEC between April 22 and May 21, 2026, ahead of party primaries, which will take place from May 22 to June 20, 2026.
The submission of nomination forms for presidential and National Assembly candidates will run from July 14 to July 28, 2026, while governorship and state assembly candidates will submit their forms between August 11 and August 25, 2026.
INEC said it will publish the personal particulars of candidates (Form EC9) on August 4, 2026, for national elections, and September 1, 2026, for state elections.
The commission has also outlined deadlines for withdrawal or replacement of candidates, publication of final candidate lists, and commencement of public campaigns.
Campaigns for the presidential and National Assembly elections are set to start on September 23, 2026, while state-level campaigns will begin on October 7, 2026.
INEC said campaigning ends 24 hours before the respective election dates.
Other key dates include the publication of the official register of voters on January 11, 2027, and the notice of poll on January 21, 2027, in line with the Electoral Act, 2022.
Submission of polling agents’ names is due by December 22, 2026, for national elections, and January 5, 2027, for state elections.
Amupitan said the detailed Timetable and Schedule of Activities have been uploaded to the Commission’s official website and circulated to all registered political parties and relevant stakeholders.
He directed all the 36 Resident Electoral Commissioners (REC) and that of the FCT to publish the notice in each constituency in respect of which an election is to be held.
He said the dates reflect the commitment of the commission to ensuring that our electoral processes are transparent, credible, and adhere to the provisions of our laws.
Amupitan warned against speculation by some individuals who had circulated unofficial election timetables, describing such acts as misleading.
He also noted that INEC is closely monitoring the ongoing Electoral Act amendment process at the National Assembly, but will act strictly according to existing law until any changes are formally enacted.
The chairman urged political parties to strictly adhere to the timetable for primaries, submission of nomination forms, and campaigns, and stressed that INEC would enforce compliance to ensure credible elections.
Highlighting the Commission’s preparedness, Amupitan said INEC is committed to expanding the use of technology, updating the voters’ register, collaborating with security agencies, and intensifying voter education ahead of the elections.
He called on all political actors and citizens to ensure peaceful conduct throughout the electoral process, stating: “The success of the 2027 General Elections is a collective responsibility.”
The Senator representing Ekiti State District, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, has disclosed the real reason behind the removal of “real time” from the 2026 Electoral Bill.
He clarified this in a statement issued through his Directorate of Media and Public Affairs on Sunday.
Bamidele explained that the Senate had previously rejected Clause 60(3) of the bill, which mandated that the presiding officer “shall electronically transmit the results from each polling unit to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) in real time…”.
The clause was subsequently redrafted to retain electronic transmission of results while omitting the “real time” requirement.
Bamidele described Clause 60(3) as “an initiative that any legislature or parliament globally would ordinarily have embraced.”
He added that the Senate had to consider the country’s infrastructural realities before making its decision.
Drawing on data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Bamidele noted that broadband coverage stood at about 70 percent in 2025, while internet penetration was 44.53 percent of the population.
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He cited the Speedtest Global Index, which ranked Nigeria 85th out of 105 countries in mobile network reliability and 129th out of 150 countries in fixed broadband reliability.
“Based on the Speedtest Global Index, Nigeria’s mobile network reliability was 44.14 megabits per second. This is extremely low compared with the UAE, which has 691.76 mbps; Qatar with 573.53 mbps; Kuwait with 415.67 mbps; Bahrain with 303.21 mbps; and Bulgaria with 289.41 mbps.
“The Index placed Nigeria far below the global average.
