As political activities gather momentum across the country, no fewer than 146 candidates contesting the upcoming presidential and governorship elections could collectively deploy up to ₦571bn under campaign spending thresholds established by Section 92 of the Electoral Act 2026.

The total permissible figure includes 19 presidential candidates permitted to spend up to ₦10bn each, representing a combined limit of ₦190bn. At the state level, 127 governorship candidates across 28 states are permitted to spend up to ₦3bn each, bringing their potential total spending limit to ₦381bn.

The official publishing of personal credentials and particulars for candidates by electoral authorities has set the stage for official campaign activities. Electoral administrators emphasized that the ₦571bn combined sum reflects a statutory statutory upper limit rather than funds provided to or guaranteed for any political candidate.

Section 92 of the Electoral Act 2026 establishes expenditure limits across all elective categories:
​Presidential: ₦10bn ceiling per candidate
​Governorship: ₦3bn ceiling per candidate
​Senatorial: ₦500m ceiling per candidate
​House of Representatives: ₦250m ceiling per candidate
​State House of Assembly / Area Council Chairmanship: ₦100m ceiling per candidate
​Area Council Councillorship: ₦10m ceiling per candidate.

The statute also limits single individual donations to any single candidate at ₦500m. Candidates who knowingly exceed these limits face potential statutory penalties, including fines set at one percent of the permitted threshold, up to 12 months imprisonment, or both.

The published presidential candidate list features 19 contenders, including incumbent President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), alongside candidates representing 16 other political parties.

At the state level, 127 governorship candidates represent 18 political parties across 28 states holding elections. Party representation includes 28 candidates each for the APC and PDP, 21 for the ADC, 16 for the Labour Party, nine for the NDC, six for the SDP, and various numbers across remaining registered parties.

Civil society groups and anti-corruption organizations have highlighted that monitoring candidate spending will require close cooperation between electoral officials, media outlets, and civil society observers. Concurrently, media regulators have issued guidelines directing broadcasting organizations and digital media publishers to maintain balanced coverage, verify political assertions before publication, and strictly observe broadcasting regulations throughout the election period.

For official details regarding political parties, election guidelines, and statutory announcements, voters and stakeholders can visit the official Independent National Electoral Commission portal or review regulatory standards issued by the National Broadcasting Commission.