By Kabir Adeniyi
LAGOS, Nigeria (AA) - Nigeria’s next presidential election will be held on Feb. 20, 2027, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced Friday.
National Assembly elections, covering the Senate and the House of Representatives, will be held the same day as the presidential vote, INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan told reporters.
Nigeria typically holds federal-level elections before state-level contests, a staggered format aimed at easing logistical pressure on the electoral body and allowing security agencies to coordinate effectively.
Governorship and State House of Assembly elections will be held March 6, 2027 in states where governorship contests are due.
Political parties have already begun internal consultations and strategic alignments to comply with INEC guidelines on primaries, candidate nominations and campaign rperiods ahead of the polls.
Africa’s most populous country elects its president for a four-year term, renewable once. Incumbent President Bola Tinubu is expected to run for a second term.
- Protesters demand electoral reform
Earlier this week, protesters gathered at the entrance of the National Assembly in Abuja, demanding urgent electoral reforms ahead of the 2027 elections.
The demonstrators, made up of civil society organizations, youth coalitions and pro-democracy groups, called on lawmakers to amend the Electoral Act to strengthen transparency in result transmission, regulate campaign financing and enhance the independence of INEC.
Carrying placards reading “Protect Our Votes” and “No Democracy Without Reform,” the protesters urged legislators to prioritize electoral integrity over partisan interests.
They advocated clearer provisions on electronic transmission of results, stricter penalties for electoral offenses and institutional safeguards against political interference in election administration.
Nigeria’s 2023 general elections were closely contested and faced technological challenges, including disputes over electronic result transmission, which later became the subject of legal challenges at the presidential election tribunal.