The Presidential and National Assembly elections in Nigeria will be conducted on Saturday, 20 February 2027, while the Governorship and State Assembly elections will take place on Saturday, 6 March 2027.
This information is contained in a comprehensive timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The timetable, which covers the 2027 general elections, outlines major activities including voter registration, political party primaries, campaigns, and the conduct of the polls.
According to the timetable, the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise will begin in April 2026 and continue until January 2027.
During this period, eligible Nigerians will be able to register as new voters, replace missing or damaged Permanent Voter Cards, transfer their polling locations, and update personal details, including individuals who attain the age of 18.
INEC stated that political party primaries for all elective offices will be held between 1 July and 30 September 2026, allowing parties a three-month period to carry out their internal selection processes.
Political parties are expected to conduct congresses at the ward, local government, state, and national levels, and submit the outcomes of their primaries to the Commission within one week of completion.
The submission of candidates’ lists is scheduled for 1 October to 31 October 2026, during which political parties are required to upload the names of their candidates and running mates through INEC’s online nomination portal. The final list of candidates will be released on 15 November 2026.
Campaigns for the Presidential and National Assembly elections will begin on 18 November 2026 and end on 19 February 2027, while campaigns for the Governorship and State Assembly elections will commence on 15 December 2026 and conclude on 5 March 2027.
Other important activities in the timetable include the display of the voters’ register in October 2026, the collection of PVCs from December 2026 to February 2027, the training of ad-hoc election officers within the same period, and the distribution of sensitive and non-sensitive election materials between February and March 2027.
The Commission appealed to political parties, stakeholders, and voters to strictly comply with the timelines, emphasising that full adherence is essential to achieving a smooth, credible, and transparent electoral process in 2027.
