Reps Raise Presidential Campaign Spending Limit To ₦10bn

The House of Representatives has raised the campaign spending limit for presidential candidates from ₦5 billion to ₦10 billion as part of amendments to the Electoral Act 2022 approved during plenary on Thursday.

The decision followed a clause-by-clause review of a report on the proposed review of the electoral law, which aimed to strengthen Nigeria’s electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Beyond the presidential race, lawmakers also approved higher spending ceilings for other elective offices.

The maximum amount a gubernatorial candidate can spend was increased from ₦1 billion to ₦3 billion, while the cap for senatorial candidates was raised from ₦100 million to ₦500 million.

For candidates contesting seats in the House of Representatives, the spending limit was reviewed upwards from ₦70 million to ₦250 million. Similarly, the ceiling for state House of Assembly candidates was increased from ₦30 million to ₦100 million.

At the local government level, candidates vying for chairmanship positions will now be allowed to spend up to ₦100 million, up from the previous ₦30 million. In contrast, the campaign spending limit for councillorship candidates was doubled from ₦5 million to ₦10 million.

In addition to revising expenditure limits, the House approved an increase in the maximum amount an individual or organisation can donate to a candidate, raising the cap from ₦50 million to ₦500 million.

The amendments were part of broader legislative efforts to update the Electoral Act ahead of the 2027 polls. The House also approved a proposal mandating the real-time transmission of election results on Wednesday.

The proposed amendments will become law once they are concurred to by the Senate and assented to by the President.