Electoral Act 2026 Raises Campaign Spending Limits

The newly enacted Electoral Act 2026 has significantly increased campaign spending limits for candidates contesting various elective positions in Nigeria, marking a major shift from the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.

The amendment, passed by the National Assembly and signed into law by President Bola Tinubu, raises the financial ceiling for presidential, governorship, National Assembly and state assembly elections ahead of the 2027 general elections. Under the Electoral Act 2022, presidential candidates were restricted to a maximum campaign expenditure of ₦5 billion. The new law doubles that limit to ₦10 billion. For governorship elections, the spending cap has been increased from ₦1 billion to ₦3 billion. Senate candidates, who previously had a ₦100 million ceiling, can now spend up to ₦500 million under the 2026 law. Similarly, candidates seeking seats in the House of Representatives will see their spending limit rise from ₦70 million to ₦250 million, while those contesting State Houses of Assembly elections now have a ₦100 million cap, up from ₦30 million in the 2022 Act. The increases represent one of the most notable financial reforms in Nigeria’s electoral framework in recent years. Lawmakers argue that the upward review reflects current economic realities, including inflation, rising logistics costs, media expenses and the broader financial demands of nationwide political campaigns. Members of the Senate and the House of Representatives have maintained that the revised ceilings are necessary to align campaign regulations with present-day financial conditions.