By Muhammad Mamman
Nigeria’s House of Representatives has approved sweeping amendments to the country’s Electoral Act, raising campaign spending limits for candidates while making the use of BVAS and electronic transmission of results compulsory.
The proposed amendments, passed on the floor of the House on Tuesday, are aimed at updating Nigeria’s electoral framework ahead of future elections, lawmakers said. The changes affect campaign finance regulations, voting technology and the collation of results.
Under the new provisions, spending ceilings for presidential, governorship and legislative candidates have been significantly increased, with lawmakers arguing that inflation and rising campaign costs have made existing limits unrealistic. Critics, however, warn that higher caps could entrench the influence of money in Nigerian politics and disadvantage smaller parties.
In a move widely welcomed by election observers, the amendments also enshrine the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and make electronic transmission of election results mandatory, removing ambiguities that previously allowed manual processes to override technology.
Lawmakers backing the bill said the changes would strengthen transparency, reduce election manipulation and reflect lessons learned from the 2023 general elections, where disputes over result transmission featured prominently in court challenges.
“The law must reflect reality and protect the integrity of the vote,” one lawmaker said during the debate, adding that electronic processes had become “non-negotiable” for credible elections.
Opposition lawmakers and civil society groups have welcomed the provisions on BVAS and electronic transmission but expressed concern about the revised spending limits, calling for stronger enforcement mechanisms and penalties for violations.
The bill will now proceed to the Senate for concurrence before being transmitted to President Bola Tinubu for assent. If signed into law, the amendments would mark one of the most consequential electoral reforms since the Electoral Act was signed in 2022.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, has faced repeated calls to reform its electoral system amid allegations of fraud, vote buying and weak enforcement of campaign finance laws. The latest amendments are likely to shape the political landscape ahead of the next general elections.
