Nigeria Enacts Electoral Act 2026 Reforms

The Nigeria===National Assembly (Nigeria) has unveiled and President Bola Tinubu has assented to the Electoral Act 2026, a comprehensive reform of the country's electoral system. This new law, developed over two years with extensive stakeholder consultations, introduces mandatory electronic transmission of election results, compulsory use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for voter accreditation, and the establishment of a dedicated fund for the Nigeria===Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure its financial autonomy. It also abolishes indirect primaries, mandates digital membership registers for political parties, and stiffens penalties for electoral offenses like vote buying and result manipulation. Campaign spending limits have been revised upward. The reforms aim to enhance electoral credibility, reduce disputes, and strengthen democratic governance in Nigeria ahead of the 2027 general elections.