The Electoral Act 2026: What Voters Need to Know Before January 2027

On 18 February 2026 the President signed the Electoral Act 2026, which repealed the Electoral Act 2022. It sets the rules for the next general elections.

Election dates

INEC's revised timetable, released on 26 February 2026, fixes these dates:

• Presidential and National Assembly elections: 16 January 2027
• Governorship and State House of Assembly elections: 6 February 2027

Registering to vote

You can now use a birth certificate, a Nigerian passport or your NIN to prove your identity when you register.

Accreditation on election day

The Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) is compulsory for accrediting voters. Bring your PVC.

Vote buying and selling

Buying or selling votes, or buying and selling PVCs, is an offence. The penalty includes a fine of at least ₦5 million, up to two years in prison, or both.

Sending results

The Act requires polling unit results to be uploaded to INEC's result viewing portal (IReV), but allows a manual process where there is a communication failure. Some political parties and civil society groups have criticised this and asked for a further amendment.

Party primaries

Parties now choose their candidates by direct primaries or by consensus. The old delegate system has been removed.

Your rights on election day

If you are turned away, see irregularities, or are pressured to sell your vote, note the time, the place and the people involved, and report it to INEC officials or accredited observers. Election disputes go to election petition tribunals under strict time limits, so candidates and parties should get legal advice quickly.