Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has released the official timetable for Nigeria’s 2027 General Elections, outlining key dates for party primaries, voter registration, campaigns and the conduct of the polls.
According to the timetable, Nigerians will go to the polls for the Presidential and National Assembly elections on Saturday, February 20, 2027, while the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will follow on Saturday, March 6, 2027.
It noted that the schedule formally signals the commencement of preparations for the next electoral cycle and provides political parties, aspirants and voters with a clear roadmap ahead of the elections.
INEC also announced that campaigns for the Presidential and National Assembly elections will commence on November 18, 2026, and end at midnight on February 19, 2027, a day before the polls.
The campaigns for Governorship and State Assembly elections are scheduled to run from December 15, 2026, to March 5, 2027.
The commission reminded political parties and candidates that campaigns must strictly adhere to the approved timelines, warning that early or late campaigning will constitute a violation of the electoral guidelines.
Political parties are expected to conduct their primaries between July 1 and September 30, 2026, to select candidates for all the elective positions.
INEC will receive the submission of candidates’ lists from October 1 to October 31, 2026, after which it will publish the final list of candidates on November 15, 2026.
The commission emphasized that only candidates whose names are duly submitted within the stipulated period will be eligible to contest.
As part of efforts to expand voter participation, INEC confirmed that Continuous Voter Registration, CVR, will take place nationwide from April 2026 to January 2027.
This window will allow eligible Nigerians, who have not registered, as well as those seeking to transfer or update their voter details, to do so ahead of the elections.
GIK/APA