New Electoral Act 2026 forces major overhaul of Nigeria’s election calendar; presidential, National Assembly and off-cycle polls affected.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced a sweeping revision of Nigeria’s election timetable, moving the 2027 Presidential and National Assembly elections forward to Saturday, January 16, 2027.

The shake-up follows the repeal of the Electoral Act 2022 and the enactment of the Electoral Act 2026, which significantly altered statutory timelines for the conduct of elections.

In a statement released Thursday night in Abuja, INEC said the new law made it necessary to revisit and realign all previously announced election dates.

According to the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Malam Mohammed Kudu Haruna, the Commission has “reviewed and realigned the Schedule to ensure full compliance with the new legal framework” introduced by the 2026 Act.

Under the revised timetable, Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will now hold on Saturday, February 6, 2027, marking a clear departure from INEC’s earlier plan, which placed the presidential election in late February and state elections in March.

The calendar adjustment has also affected off-cycle elections. INEC confirmed that the Osun State governorship election, earlier scheduled for August 8, 2026, has been shifted to Saturday, August 15, 2026.

On preparations for the Ekiti and Osun polls, the Commission noted that while some activities have already been completed, all outstanding processes “will now be implemented strictly in accordance with the Electoral Act, 2026.”

The new timetable also accelerates activities for political parties. INEC disclosed that party primaries and the resolution of related disputes will commence earlier than previously planned, in line with the compressed timelines introduced by the new law.

The changes signal one of the most significant pre-election calendar shifts in recent history, setting the stage for an earlier and more tightly regulated race to 2027.