The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced a revised timetable for Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, moving the presidential and governorship polls to earlier dates following recent legislative changes.
Under the updated schedule released on Thursday, the Presidential and National Assembly elections will now hold on January 16, 2027, while the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections are slated for February 6, 2027.
The new timeline replaces INEC’s earlier plan, which fixed the presidential and National Assembly elections for February 20, 2027, and the governorship and state assembly polls for March 6, 2027.
INEC said the adjustment followed the repeal of the Electoral Act 2022 and the enactment of the Electoral Act 2026. The Commission published the revised timetable on its official X handle in a statement signed by its Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan.
The initial schedule had drawn objections from some Muslim stakeholders, who argued that the February and March dates coincided with the Ramadan fasting period, potentially affecting voter participation in parts of the country.
In response to the concerns, the Senate amended Clause 28 of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, reducing the mandatory notice period for elections from 360 days to 300 days. The amendment provided the legal framework for INEC to reschedule the polls without violating statutory timelines.
With the revised dates now in place, INEC confirmed that preparatory activities for the elections will commence as early as April 1, 2026. These activities are expected to include party primaries, voter registration updates, stakeholder engagements, and other logistical arrangements necessary for the conduct of nationwide elections.
Nigeria’s 2027 general elections will determine the next president, members of the National Assembly, state governors, and lawmakers across the 36 states, making the revised timetable a critical milestone in the country’s democratic calendar.
See the 2027 revised election timetable below:
