Reps approve increase in campaign spending limits ahead of 2027 elections

The House of Representatives has approved an increase in campaign spending limits for candidates contesting elective offices in Nigeria.

The decision was taken during Thursday’s plenary following the clause-by-clause consideration of a report seeking amendments to the Electoral Act 2022.

Under the approved changes, the campaign spending ceiling for presidential candidates was doubled from ₦5 billion to ₦10 billion.

Gubernatorial candidates will now be allowed to spend up to ₦3 billion on their campaigns, up from the ₦1 billion limit stipulated in the existing law.

For senatorial elections, the spending cap was increased from ₦100 million to ₦500 million, while candidates seeking election into the House of Representatives can now spend a maximum of ₦250 million, compared to the previous ₦70 million.

The House also approved an increase in campaign spending for state House of Assembly candidates, raising the limit from ₦30 million to ₦100 million.

At the local government level, candidates contesting chairmanship positions will now be permitted to spend up to ₦100 million, an increase from the earlier ₦30 million ceiling.

Similarly, the spending limit for councillorship candidates was reviewed upward from ₦5 million to ₦10 million.

In addition to campaign expenditure, lawmakers also approved a significant increase in political donations, raising the maximum amount an individual or entity can donate to a candidate from ₦50 million to ₦500 million.

The amendments form part of ongoing legislative efforts to review Nigeria’s electoral laws ahead of the 2027 general elections.

On Wednesday, the House had also approved a proposal mandating the real-time transmission of election results.

The amended provisions will take effect once they are concurred to by the Senate and assented to by the President.