The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project is calling on the Independent National Electoral Commission to make public the political contribution limits set out in the Electoral Act, 2026, as the 2027 general elections approach.
SERAP made the request in a statement signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, and issued on Sunday, which was sent to the Chairman of INEC, Professor Joash Amupitan.
The organisation stressed the importance of this point in the run-up to the 2027 elections, pointing out that INEC had already issued the Notice of Election and the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the polls.
The organisation asked INEC “to urgently ascertain whether the Commission has exercised the power given to it by statute to set limits on political contributions under section 91 of the Electoral Act, 2026, and, if it has, to publish the relevant limits and make them widely known to political parties, candidates, donors and the Nigerian public.”
SERAP also requested the electoral commission to make public the systems, personnel and procedures it had established to oversee, investigate and ensure compliance with the limits on contributions and campaign spending during the preparations for the 2027 elections.
It also asked INEC to make public the method it uses for monitoring political financing, including the procedures for identifying and dealing with cash and in-kind contributions, financing carried out through digital and social media channels, third-party expenditures, and donations made via intermediaries which might be able to avoid the statutory limits.
SERAP stated that greater transparency was needed for the 2027 elections to take place on a level playing field and for voters to make free and informed political choices.
The organisation stated in the request that “it is not enough for INEC merely to receive financial statements from political parties; the Constitution obliges the Commission to examine the parties’ finances, carry out investigations, and submit reports to the National Assembly. If these reports are published, Nigerians will be able to find out whether the constitutional and statutory duties have been properly fulfilled.”
The growing commercialisation of elections in Nigeria, together with the possible misuse of state institutions, represents serious dangers to democratic integrity and to competitive elections. The information being requested would allow citizens to detect excessive, unreported, or possibly illegal political financing before it undermines electoral competition, rather than only after voting has taken place.
Political parties, candidates and their supporters were already raising funds, seeking financial contributions, arranging political activities, buying media and digital advertising, holding rallies, and spending money on campaign activities.
SERAP therefore asked INEC to explain how it planned to monitor political financing during the campaign period, particularly regarding cash and in-kind contributions, digital and social media advertising, political consultants, and expenditures by third parties.
The organisation also referred to Section 91(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026, which states that: “The Commission shall have the power to limit the amount of money or other assets which an individual can contribute to a political party or candidate and to require information regarding the amount donated and the source of the funds; Section 91(2) lays down the penalties in cases where an individual, a candidate, or a political party exceeds the limit set by INEC. The statutory power conferred on INEC thus forms an important safeguard against excessive financial influence over political parties and candidates.”
SERAP asked INEC to clarify whether it had exercised that power and, if it had, to publish the relevant contribution limits immediately in a prominent, easily accessible place, including on its website.
The organisation also asked for the most recent detailed statements from the political parties regarding their assets and liabilities, the sources of their funds, and their other assets and expenditure, as having been submitted to INEC.
The commission was asked to publish the parties’ financial records, comprising their annual statements, audited accounts, and election expenditure returns for the period 2023 to 2025, along with its examination and audit reports under Sections 225 and 226, and the annual reports it had submitted to the National Assembly during that same period.
There is a persistent issue in Nigeria with political parties failing to disclose their campaign contributions, and this failure to comply has been regarded as systemic; since there are no clear and effective sanctions for non-compliance, INEC has been unable to enforce compliance.
The organisation added that Nigeria has long faced serious difficulties in regulating political finance, including excessive campaign spending, opaque political funding, weak disclosure and reporting, and limited enforcement of statutory rules on spending and contributions.
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