KEY POINTS

• INEC scheduled presidential and National Assembly elections for February 20, 2027.
• Governorship and State Assembly polls will take place on March 6, 2027.
• The timetable was announced even as Electoral Act amendments remain under consideration by lawmakers.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has officially announced the schedule for Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, confirming that voting will begin in February and continue into early March.

According to INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, the presidential and National Assembly elections will take place on February 20, 2027. Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections are slated for March 6, 2027.

Governorship and state assembly polls fixed for March

The commission further disclosed that elections for governorship positions and State Houses of Assembly seats will hold two weeks later, on March 6, 2027.

This staggered arrangement, INEC noted, is intended to ease logistical pressure, enhance security coordination, and ensure that electoral personnel and materials can be effectively deployed across the country.

The announcement comes at a time when discussions are still ongoing at the National Assembly over proposed amendments to the Electoral Act. Observers have raised concerns that delays in passing the revised legislation could affect certain procedural aspects of the elections.

However, INEC had earlier indicated that it had already concluded work on the election timetable and forwarded it to lawmakers as part of its constitutional responsibility. By releasing the dates publicly, the commission signaled its preparedness to proceed with electoral planning while awaiting any final legislative decisions.

Analysts say the early release of the schedule gives political parties, candidates, security agencies, civil society groups, and voters ample time to prepare for the nationwide exercise. It also allows INEC to begin logistical arrangements, including procurement of materials, training of officials, voter education campaigns, and coordination with stakeholders.