Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission has announced the presidential election will now be held on January 16, 2027 – five weeks earlier than initially planned – following concerns about overlapping with Ramadan. The revised schedule aims to accommodate Muslim voters who constitute nearly half of Africa's most populous nation.
Political parties will nominate candidates between April 23 and May 30 this year, setting the stage for what analysts predict could be a highly contested race. Current President Bola Tinubu, who secured a first-round victory in 2023 with 36% of votes, is widely expected to seek re-election under the ruling All Progressives Congress banner.
The electoral overhaul comes as Nigeria implements new transparency measures, including legislation signed last week mandating real-time electronic transmission of results. This reform addresses longstanding concerns about electoral integrity in the nation of 230 million people.
