House of Reps raises campaign spending limits for presidential candidates to ₦10bn
Members of the House of Representatives have approved a significant increase in the campaign spending limits for candidates contesting elective offices in Nigeria, raising the ceiling for presidential hopefuls from ₦5 billion to ₦10 billion ahead of the 2027 general elections. The lawmakers agreed to the changes during Thursday’s plenary when they considered amendments to the Electoral Act 2022, a move that substantially alters how much candidates can legally spend on campaigning. Under the revised proposal, the maximum amount a presidential candidate can expend on electioneering activities was doubled from ₦5 billion to ₦10 billion, while the campaign spending caps for other offices were also raised to reflect increased costs and competitiveness in national politics.
For governorship contests, the ceiling was increased from ₦1 billion to ₦3 billion, and senatorial candidates are now allowed to spend up to ₦500 million, up from ₦100 million. Candidates seeking election to the House of Representatives will be permitted to spend as much as ₦250 million, up from the previous limit of ₦70 million, while state assembly, local government chairmanship, and councillorship races also saw notable boosts in their respective spending caps. In addition to raising campaign expenditure ceilings, the House approved an increase in the maximum amount that individuals or entities can donate to a candidate, with the new cap now set at ₦500 million from ₦50 million.
The changes are part of broader legislative efforts to update Nigeria’s electoral framework, and proponents argue that the adjustments align with current economic realities, including inflation and rising costs of media, logistics, and nationwide outreach. Critics, however, warn that higher spending limits could deepen money politics, favour wealthy candidates, and make it harder for grassroots contenders to compete fairly. The approved amendment will now proceed to the Senate for concurrence before being sent to the President for assent and eventual enactment into law.
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