The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the official timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 General Elections, detailing key dates for voter registration, party primaries, campaigns, and the conduct of the polls.
According to the timetable issued on Friday, Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) will begin in April 2026 and end in January 2027. During this period, eligible Nigerians can register as new voters, replace lost or damaged Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), transfer their voting locations, and update their records, including those who attain the age of 18.
INEC scheduled political party primaries for all elective positions to hold between July 1 and September 30, 2026. Political parties are required to conduct congresses at ward, local government, state, and national levels and submit the outcomes of their primaries to the Commission within one week of completion.
Submission of candidates’ lists has been fixed for October 1 to October 31, 2026, with parties expected to upload details of their candidates and running mates via INEC’s online nomination portal. The Commission will publish the final list of candidates on November 15, 2026.
Campaigns for the Presidential and National Assembly elections will commence on November 18, 2026, and end on February 19, 2027. Governorship and State Assembly campaigns are slated to begin on December 15, 2026, and conclude on March 5, 2027.
INEC has fixed the Presidential and National Assembly elections for Saturday, February 20, 2027, while the Governorship and State Assembly elections will take place on Saturday, March 6, 2027.
Other activities outlined in the timetable include the display of the voters’ register in October 2026, collection of PVCs from December 2026 to February 2027, training of ad-hoc election staff within the same period, and the distribution of sensitive and non-sensitive election materials between February and March 2027.
The Commission urged political parties, stakeholders, and voters to strictly adhere to the schedule to ensure a smooth, credible, and transparent electoral process.
