Nigeria to Hold Presidential Elections in February 2027

Nigeria has fixed February 20, 2027, as the date for its next presidential election. The country also announced a timetable for governorship and legislative elections scheduled for March 6.

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Joash Ojo Amupitan, made the announcement on Friday, describing the forthcoming elections as a significant milestone in the country’s democratic journey.

Although INEC has introduced technological tools, including the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), over the past decade to improve the integrity of election outcomes, the reforms have had limited success in boosting public confidence, and post-election litigation remains common.

Earlier this week, the Senate, following pressure and public protests, approved the electronic transmission and live publication of election results after initially rejecting the proposal.

The election is widely considered a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s democratic process, coming in the aftermath of the 2024 End to Bad Governance protests, which were driven by the country’s worsening economic crisis and rising inflation, particularly food prices.

Some experts have linked the crisis to the implementation of economic reforms, particularly the removal of fuel subsidies and the devaluation of the naira following the removal of its peg to the US dollar under President Bola Tinubu.