FGenacts Electoral Act 2026 reforms: Electronic voting, BVAS, and ₦500m fines for fraud
Nigeria's Electoral Act 2026, signed by President Tinubu, mandates electronic transmission of election results via IReV portal, BVAS accreditation, and a dedicated ₦500,000 fine for presiding officers obstructing results transmission. The law also creates a permanent ₦ fund for INEC, raises campaign spending limits (presidential: ₦10B, governorship: ₦3B), and phases out indirect primaries. Key reforms include: 1) Mandatory digital voter registers for parties 2) Two-year imprisonment for RECs withholding documents 3) Direct primaries only 4) ₦500,000 fines for vote buying/impersonation. The Act strengthens electoral credibility by requiring 24-hour document releases and expanding INEC's powers to review results under duress. Will these reforms restore public trust in elections or face implementation challenges?