Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission has announced its electoral schedule for 2025-2026, outlining five key elections while restarting the Continuous Voter Registration program across the country.
Professor Mahmood Yakubu, INEC’s Chairman, announced during Tuesday’s quarterly meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners in Abuja, detailing a packed electoral calendar beginning with bye-elections in 12 states on August 16, 2025.
The commission’s timeline includes the Anambra governorship poll scheduled for November 8, 2025, followed by Federal Capital Territory Area Council elections on February 21, 2026. The calendar concludes with gubernatorial contests in Ekiti State (June 20, 2026) and Osun State (August 8, 2026).
Voter Registration Timeline
The nationwide voter registration exercise will launch with online pre-registration starting August 18, 2025, followed by physical registration centers opening August 25, 2025.
Anambra State will begin its registration process earlier, commencing next week across all 326 wards to meet the legal requirement of completing voter register compilation at least 90 days before the election.
During the meeting, Professor Yakubu welcomed newly appointed National Commissioners Sunday Aja and Abdulrazak Yusuf, alongside six recently sworn-in Resident Electoral Commissioners attending their first quarterly session.
The INEC chief emphasized the year-round nature of commissioners’ duties, stating that their responsibilities extend beyond election periods and require continuous commitment and expertise.
Regulatory Clarifications
Addressing ongoing questions about Section 65 of the Electoral Act 2022 concerning election result reviews, Yakubu confirmed that INEC is developing supplementary regulations and guidelines to provide clearer interpretation. These documents are expected to be published on official INEC platforms within the week.
APC Sets Nomination Fees
The All Progressives Congress has simultaneously released its fee structure for the 2025 bye-elections, setting costs at N20 million for senatorial aspirants and N10 million for House of Representatives candidates.
According to the party’s official schedule signed by National Organising Secretary Sulaiman Argungu, senatorial candidates must pay N3 million for Expression of Interest forms and N17 million for nomination papers. House of Representatives aspirants face N1 million and N9 million respectively for the same forms.
State Assembly candidates will pay a total of N2 million, broken down as N500,000 for the expression of interest and N1.5 million for nomination.
Special Provisions and Discounts
The APC has implemented several cost-reduction measures: female candidates and persons with disabilities receive free nomination forms, paying only for expression of interest documents. Youth candidates aged 25-40 qualify for 50% discounts on nomination fees.
Party delegates must maintain current membership with at least three months of dues payments (N200 monthly) to participate in primary elections. Delegate forms cost N5,000.
Primary Election Schedule
The APC’s internal election timeline begins with state chapter notifications on June 30, 2025, followed by membership register updates from July 1-5. Form submissions close July 7, with candidate screening set for July 10.
Primary elections will occur between July 22 and 26, with successful candidates announced on July 26. Campaign periods run from July 26 through August 14, concluding two days before the August 16 bye-elections.
Argungu emphasized the party’s commitment to transparent primaries compliant with electoral law, restricting voting eligibility to members with at least one year of current dues payments through July 2025.
