Nigeria has officially begun its long march toward the 2027 general elections, with the Independent National Electoral Commission unveiling a detailed timetable that sets the pace for what is shaping up to be one of the country’s most consequential democratic exercises.
At a press conference in Abuja, INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan announced key dates that will define the electoral cycle, giving political parties, candidates and voters nearly a year to prepare for the polls. The presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for Feb. 20, 2027, while governorship and state assembly contests will follow on March 6, 2027.
The announcement signals the formal opening of a tightly choreographed process that includes party primaries, candidate nominations, public campaigns and voter registration milestones.
Under the timetable, political parties will conduct their primaries between May 22 and June 20, 2026, a critical window expected to test internal party democracy and dispute-resolution mechanisms. Submission of nomination forms for national elections will run from July 14 to July 28, 2026, while state election submissions are slated between Aug. 11 and Aug. 25, 2026.
INEC will publish candidates’ personal particulars in stages, beginning Aug. 4 for presidential and National Assembly aspirants and Sept. 1 for governorship and state assembly hopefuls. Campaigns for national offices will stretch from Sept. 23, 2026 to Feb. 18, 2027, with state-level campaigns running from Oct. 7, 2026 to March 4, 2027.
The commission also fixed Jan. 11, 2027 for the publication of the official voters’ register and Jan. 21, 2027 for the notice of poll; administrative steps that anchor the final countdown to election day.
Amupitan said the early release of the timetable complies with the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act 2022, which require INEC to issue an election notice at least 360 days before polling. He noted that the tenures of the president, vice-president and most state governors will expire on May 28, 2027, while legislative houses are expected to dissolve on June 8, 2027, underscoring the importance of a seamless transition.
He added that while an Electoral Amendment Bill is pending before the National Assembly of Nigeria, the commission remains guided by the current legal framework and is prepared to incorporate reforms that strengthen the system.
Beyond dates and deadlines, the INEC chairman used the occasion to send a strong message to political actors. He urged parties to conduct peaceful and credible primaries, avoid inflammatory rhetoric and respect internal democracy. Candidates and supporters, he said, must commit to non-violence throughout the electoral cycle.
Describing the 2027 polls as a “pivotal moment,” Amupitan pledged that INEC would deepen its use of technology and maintain impartiality, transparency and professionalism. He called on civil society groups and citizens to begin preparations early, stressing that credible elections require collective responsibility.
The 2027 calendar will run alongside off-cycle governorship elections in Anambra State, Bayelsa State, Edo State, Ekiti State, Imo State, Kogi State, Ondo State and Osun State
With the timetable now public, attention shifts to how political parties will navigate primaries, build coalitions and present their visions to an electorate eager for stability and progress. For INEC, the challenge lies in translating a meticulous schedule into a smooth, credible process.
