The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the timetable for party primaries and the 2027 general elections, setting key deadlines for political parties, candidates and voters.
According to the timetable, political parties must conduct their primaries between July 1 and September 30, 2026. Parties are required to submit their final lists of candidates to INEC from October 1 to October 31, 2026. INEC will publish the final, certified list of candidates on November 15, 2026.
Campaigning for the Presidential and National Assembly elections will run from November 18, 2026, until February 19, 2027. Campaign activities for Governorship and State House of Assembly contests will begin on December 15, 2026, and end on March 5, 2027.
Election days are scheduled as follows:
• Presidential and National Assembly elections: Saturday, February 20, 2027.
• Governorship and State House of Assembly elections: Saturday, March 6, 2027.
INEC’s timetable gives political parties a defined window to conclude internal contests, complete vetting and submit documentation ahead of the commission’s publication of final candidates. Observers say the schedule provides clarity for campaign planning, security arrangements and voter education, while also allowing time to resolve internal party disputes before candidate lists are lodged.
Stakeholders — including parties, security agencies, civil society groups and the electorate — are expected to take note of these deadlines as preparations ramp up toward the 2027 polls.
