The National Assembly of Nigeria has unveiled far-reaching reforms contained in the Electoral Act, 2026, describing the new law as a comprehensive overhaul aimed at enhancing transparency, strengthening electoral integrity and deepening democratic governance ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Among the key provisions of the new law are the establishment of a dedicated fund for the Independent National Electoral Commission, mandatory electronic transmission of election results, compulsory use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) for voter accreditation and a requirement for political parties to maintain a digital membership register for the conduct of primaries.
Leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele, disclosed the highlights of the new electoral governance framework in a statement issued by his Directorate of Media and Public Affairs on Sunday.
Bamidele said the Electoral Act 2026 was the product of extensive consultations with stakeholders across the country over a two-year period, reflecting the legislature’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
According to him, the creation of a dedicated fund for INEC is designed to guarantee greater financial autonomy for the electoral body, enabling it to plan and execute elections without undue financial constraints.
He noted that making electronic transmission of results mandatory would enhance transparency and reduce disputes arising from manual collation processes, while the compulsory use of BVAS would further safeguard the credibility of voter accreditation.
The Senate Leader also explained that requiring political parties to maintain digital membership registers would improve internal democracy, ensure credible primaries and reduce litigation arising from candidate selection processes.
Bamidele expressed confidence that the reforms would consolidate public trust in the electoral system and position Nigeria for more credible and peaceful elections in 2027 and beyond.
