Nigeria's 2027 general election will come with significantly higher campaign spending limits, following amendments to the Electoral Act that raised the ceiling for presidential candidates to N10 billion, more than double the previous cap of N5 billion.
Under the reviewed Section 92 of the Electoral Act 2026, governorship candidates are now permitted to spend up to N3 billion, up from N1 billion, while Senate candidates can spend as much as N500 million, a rise from N100 million. Candidates seeking seats in the House of Representatives had their spending cap raised from N70 million to N250 million, and State Assembly candidates now have a ceiling of N100 million, up from N30 million. Local government chairmanship candidates also saw their limit rise to N100 million from N30 million.
The amendments were adopted by the House of Representatives during plenary after lawmakers considered the report of a bill seeking to review the Electoral Act 2022 clause by clause. The changes will take full effect once they receive Senate concurrence and presidential assent.
Despite the newly prescribed limits, concerns have already been raised over enforcement, especially following disclosures by the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, about the staggering sums reportedly spent by politicians during recent party primaries. Critics argue that unless campaign finance laws are strictly monitored, the higher thresholds could further deepen the influence of money in Nigerian politics ahead of the 2027 general e
lection.
