Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the 146 candidates vying for the presidency and governorships will be collectively bound by a campaign spending ceiling of ₦571 billion under the Electoral Act 2026.
The limit breaks down to ₦10 billion for each of the 19 presidential candidates and ₦3 billion for each of the 127 governorship candidates. INEC has already released the personal details of the presidential aspirants and their running mates, clearing the way for official campaigning to begin.
The new law also introduced higher spending caps for other elective positions and placed a ₦500 million ceiling on what any single individual can donate to one candidate. Candidates who breach the limits face a fine of one percent of the permitted amount or up to twelve months in prison.
While INEC is responsible for monitoring campaign finance, the anti-graft agencies are expected to support enforcement. So far, no politician has been successfully prosecuted for exceeding the old limits, leaving questions about how strictly the new rules will be applied.
Separately, the Action Peoples Party’s senatorial candidate for Imo East, Mazi Chima Matthew Amadi, has begun his campaign, promising an issues-based contest focused on roads, security, healthcare and jobs. He called on opponents to debate ideas rather than trade insults and warned against any attempt to intimidate his supporters or manipulate the electoral process.
