In a significant move that will shape the financial landscape of future polls, Nigeria's House of Representatives has approved a major upward review of campaign expenditure limits for all elective offices. The decision, taken on Thursday, December 18, 2025, sets new financial thresholds for candidates contesting in the 2027 general elections.
New Spending Ceilings for All Tiers of Government
The amendments, passed during plenary after a clause-by-clause consideration of a bill to amend the Electoral Act 2022, substantially increase the amount politicians can legally spend on electioneering. The most dramatic hike is for the presidential race, where the spending ceiling has been doubled from ₦5 billion to ₦10 billion.
For governorship contests, the limit was raised from ₦1 billion to a new maximum of ₦3 billion. Legislative candidates also saw their caps increased significantly. Senatorial candidates can now spend up to ₦500 million, a fivefold increase from the previous ₦100 million limit.
Candidates for the House of Representatives will operate under a new cap of ₦250 million, up from ₦70 million. At the state level, assembly candidates have a revised limit of ₦100 million, raised from ₦30 million.
The review also affects local government elections. Chairmanship candidates can now spend up to ₦100 million (previously ₦30 million), while those vying for councillorship positions have a new limit of ₦10 million, up from ₦5 million.
Donation Caps Also Skyrocket
Beyond personal campaign expenditure, the lawmakers also approved a tenfold increase in the maximum amount individuals or entities can donate to a candidate. The donation cap was raised from ₦50 million to ₦500 million, a move that dramatically expands the scale of private funding permissible in Nigerian elections.
It is crucial to note that these revised provisions of the Electoral Act will only take effect after concurrence by the Senate and assent by President Bola Tinubu. The amendments are part of broader legislative efforts to review the nation's electoral framework ahead of the 2027 polls, which also recently included a proposal mandating real-time electronic transmission of election results.
Public Backlash and Concerns Over Corruption
The decision has sparked intense debate and criticism on social media, particularly on X (formerly Twitter), where many Nigerians expressed concern that the new limits would entrench corruption and financial barriers to political office.
One user, @DrayLord6582, questioned, "How are they recovering all this spending? If you spend so much like this during Election and won, you will do every possible best to recover your money. That's why corruption will never end." This sentiment was echoed by @doyleparton, who wondered how politicians would recoup funds far exceeding their official salaries.
Other commentators focused on the potential conflict of interest. @Rapuruchi4 asked, "Do you think that they will protect the interests of the people after spending this much money on elections?" Similarly, @afonneGC viewed the move as a barrier to entry, stating, "This isn't about making elections better. It's about pricing out citizens who actually want to serve. They just built a bigger fence to keep common people away from leadership."
The legislative action comes amid other parliamentary activities. The House recently set up a seven-member committee to investigate allegations that tax laws were altered after being passed by the National Assembly, following a lawmaker's claim that the gazetted versions did not reflect what was approved on the floor.
