The Electoral Act 2026 doubles the presidential campaign spending limit to ₦10 billion
The most a candidate may spend on an election, by office, and the most one donor may give a candidate, under the Electoral Act 2022 and the Electoral Act 2026.
The Electoral Act 2026, dated 18 February 2026, repealed the Electoral Act 2022 and raised the most a candidate may spend on an election for every office. Under section 92 of the new Act, a presidential candidate may spend up to ₦10 billion, against ₦5 billion under section 88 of the 2022 Act. The limit for a governorship candidate rose from ₦1 billion to ₦3 billion.
Source: Electoral Act 2022, section 88(2) and (3); Electoral Act 2026, section 92(2) and (3).
Source documents: Electoral Act 2022 (Act No. 13 of 2022), Independent National Electoral Commission; Electoral Act 2026 (Act No. 1 of 2026), Official Gazette No. 40, Vol. 113, National Assembly.
For legislative seats, the limit for a Senate candidate rose fivefold, from ₦100 million to ₦500 million, and for a House of Representatives candidate from ₦70 million to ₦250 million. Candidates for a State House of Assembly seat and for chairman of an Area Council may now spend up to ₦100 million each, against ₦30 million. The limit for an Area Council councillor doubled, from ₦5 million to ₦10 million.
Source: Electoral Act 2022, section 88(4) to (7); Electoral Act 2026, section 92(4) to (7). The chairman and councillor limits apply to elections to the Area Councils of the Federal Capital Territory, which the Acts cover. Neither Act sets limits for local government chairman or councillor elections in the states.
Source documents: Electoral Act 2022 (Act No. 13 of 2022), Independent National Electoral Commission; Electoral Act 2026 (Act No. 1 of 2026), Official Gazette No. 40, Vol. 113, National Assembly.
Show the figures
| Office | Electoral Act 2022 | Electoral Act 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Senate | 100 | 500 |
| House of Representatives | 70 | 250 |
| State House of Assembly | 30 | 100 |
| Area Council chairman | 30 | 100 |
| Area Council councillor | 5 | 10 |
The most that an individual or other entity may donate to a candidate rose tenfold, from ₦50 million under section 88(8) of the 2022 Act to ₦500 million under section 92(8) of the 2026 Act.
Source: Electoral Act 2022, section 88(8); Electoral Act 2026, section 92(8). Both Acts also empower the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to set limits on what an individual may contribute to a political party or candidate (section 87(1) of the 2022 Act and section 91(1) of the 2026 Act).
Source documents: Electoral Act 2022 (Act No. 13 of 2022), Independent National Electoral Commission; Electoral Act 2026 (Act No. 1 of 2026), Official Gazette No. 40, Vol. 113, National Assembly.
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