The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially fixed Saturday, February 20, 2027, for the next presidential and National Assembly elections, marking the formal beginning of Nigeria’s transition toward its next general election cycle.
Following the presidential polls, the commission has scheduled the governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections to take place two weeks later on Saturday, March 6, 2027. The announcement, made by INEC Chairman Professor Joash Amupitan, SAN, during a press briefing in Abuja on Friday, February 13, 2026, fulfils the statutory requirement to provide notice at least 360 days before the commencement of polls.
Professor Amupitan described the timely release of the schedule as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s democratic journey and a necessary step to prevent the spread of unofficial and misleading timelines. He emphasised that the commission is operating strictly within the legal framework provided by the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act 2022.
The chairman noted that while the general elections are a year away, the announcement serves as a critical signal for stakeholders to begin preparations. He stated that the timely announcement allows political parties, civil society organisations, and the electorate to prepare adequately for the elections, ensuring a transparent and orderly process.
Beyond the 2027 roadmap, the commission is managing an immediate and busy electoral calendar for 2026. INEC is currently finalising preparations for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections, which are scheduled for Saturday, February 21, 2026. This exercise will involve over 1.6 million registered voters across 2,822 polling units in the six area councils of the nation's capital.
Simultaneously, the commission will conduct bye-elections in Rivers and Kano States on the same day to fill vacancies in state constituencies. Looking further into the year, off-cycle governorship elections have been confirmed for Ekiti State on June 20, 2026, and Osun State on August 8, 2026.
To ensure the integrity of the upcoming polls, the commission has also initiated a nationwide voter revalidation exercise. The first phase of Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) successfully captured over 2.7 million new voters between August and December 2025, and a second phase is currently underway, slated to run until April 2026.
While the National Assembly continues to deliberate on further amendments to the Electoral Act, INEC officials have expressed a readiness to adapt to reforms that strengthen the transparency of results management. For now, the focus remains on the rigid adherence to the newly released timetable to maintain public confidence in the democratic process.