The Electoral Act 2026, signed into law by President Bola Tinubu on February 18, 2026, introduces a massive overhaul of campaign financing and election management in Nigeria.
A central pillar of the reform is the substantial increase in campaign spending limits across all elective offices to account for inflation and logistical costs.
The national assembly has doubled the campaign spending limit for presidential candidates to N10 billion and increased the governorship ceiling to N3 billion in the Electoral Act 2026.
On February 17, the national assembly harmonised versions of the Electoral Bill 2026 passed by both chambers and transmitted same to President Bola Tinubu for assent ahead of the 2027 general election.
Tinubu signed the bill into law within 24 hours of its transmission, completing a two-year consultative process.
In a statement issued on Sunday by his directorate of media and public affairs, Opeyemi Bamidele, senate leader, disclosed the revisions while outlining key reforms introduced in the new electoral framework signed into law ahead of the 2027 general election.
Under the repealed Electoral Act, 2022, presidential candidates spend was capped at N5 billion, while governorship candidates were limited to N1 billion.
The 2026 law, however, raises the senate spending ceiling from N100 million to N500 million.
The limit for house of representatives candidates has been increased from N70 million to N250 million.
For state house of assembly elections, the ceiling rises from N30 million to N100 million.
Area council chairmanship outlay has been reviewed upward from N30 million to N60 million, while councillorship candidates can now spend up to N10 million, up from N5 million.
Bamidele said the upward review under section 92(1-8) reflects prevailing economic realities and rising campaign costs, while retaining statutory limits to regulate election financing.
He added that enforcement provisions remain in place to sanction candidates who exceed the prescribed thresholds.
