The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has unveiled its official timetable for Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, setting Saturday, February 20, 2027, as the date for Presidential and National Assembly polls, with Governorship and State Assembly elections following two weeks later on Saturday, March 6, 2027.
The detailed schedule maps out critical electoral activities spanning over a year, from voter registration through to election day.
Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) will open in April 2026 and run through January 2027, enabling eligible citizens to register as first-time voters, request replacement Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), transfer registration to new polling locations, or update personal information. Young Nigerians turning 18 during this window will also be able to register.
Political parties have been allocated a three-month window—from July 1 to September 30, 2026—to conduct primaries for all contested positions. Parties must organize congresses at ward, local government, state, and national levels, submitting primary results to INEC within seven days of completion.
The October 1-31, 2026 period has been designated for parties to submit their candidate lists through INEC’s online nomination portal, including vice-presidential and deputy governorship nominees. The commission will publish the final candidate list on November 15, 2026.
Campaign season for the presidential race and legislative elections will run from November 18, 2026, concluding on February 19, 2027—one day before voting begins. For gubernatorial and state assembly contests, campaigning starts December 15, 2026, and ends March 5, 2027.
Additional milestones include displaying the voters’ register in October 2026, PVC distribution from December 2026 through February 2027, training of temporary election staff during the same timeframe, and deployment of election materials in February and March 2027.
INEC has called on political parties, stakeholders, and the electorate to observe all deadlines, stressing that strict compliance with the timeline is crucial for delivering credible and transparent elections in 2027.
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