National Assembly Rolls Out Key Electoral Act 2026 Reforms

The National Assembly on Sunday released details of the Electoral Act 2026, explaining what was changed, why the changes were made, and how they will guide elections ahead of the 2027 general polls.

The reforms were announced in Abuja through a statement from the Directorate of Media and Public Affairs of the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele.

The new law introduces compulsory electronic transmission of results from polling units, mandatory use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System for voter verification, and digital membership registers for political parties.

Lawmakers said the amendments followed about two years of discussions with the Independent National Electoral Commission, the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, civil society groups and development partners.

According to the Senate Leader, the process involved consultations with many stakeholders before the bill was passed by both chambers of the National Assembly.

After harmonisation, the bill was forwarded to President Bola Tinubu and signed into law within 24 hours.
One of the changes in the Act is the creation of a dedicated fund for INEC.

The law now requires that election funds be released at least six months before any poll. It also makes the use of BVAS or any other approved technology compulsory for accrediting voters at polling units.

The Act further provides that results from polling units must be transmitted electronically to the INEC Result Viewing Portal. Electoral officers who fail to carry out this duty may face penalties.

The law also requires political parties to maintain digital registers of their members and submit verified copies to INEC at least 21 days before party primaries.

New punishments have been introduced for electoral offences. Resident Electoral Commissioners who refuse to release important documents may face a two-year jail term.

Presiding officers who obstruct electronic transmission of results risk six months in prison or a fine of ₦500,000.

Those found guilty of vote buying, impersonation or altering results may be jailed for up to two years or fined between ₦500,000 and ₦2 million. Political parties that fail to submit correct audited financial returns could pay a fine of ₦10 million.

The law also changes the conduct of party primaries. Indirect primaries have been removed, leaving only direct primaries and consensus options. Campaign spending limits were reviewed upward.

The new ceiling for presidential candidates is ₦10 billion, while governorship candidates can spend up to ₦3 billion. The limit for Senate candidates is ₦500 million, and House of Representatives candidates can spend up to ₦250 million.

Provisions were added to improve access for voters. The Act allows queue separation in areas where culture requires it and makes room for support for visually impaired voters during elections.

Lawmakers said the Electoral Act 2026 will guide preparations for the 2027 general elections and is aimed at improving the conduct of polls, reducing disputes and strengthening public trust in the electoral process.