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The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to disclose whether it has exercised its statutory powers to prescribe limits on political contributions ahead of the 2027 general elections.
SERAP, in a Freedom of Information request dated August 22, 2026, also asked INEC to publish any applicable contribution limits and widely communicate them to political parties, candidates, donors and the Nigerian public.
The organisation further called on the electoral commission to disclose the systems, personnel and procedures it has put in place to monitor, investigate and enforce compliance with political contribution and campaign expenditure limits during the ongoing 2027 electoral process.
SERAP also requested details of INEC’s methodology for monitoring political financing, including cash and in-kind donations, digital and social media financing, third-party expenditure and contributions made through intermediaries.
Signed by SERAP Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the request argued that greater transparency in political financing was necessary to ensure a level playing field and enable citizens to make free and informed political choices.
SERAP noted that INEC’s responsibility went beyond receiving financial statements from political parties, stressing that the Constitution requires the commission to examine party finances, conduct necessary investigations and report to the National Assembly.
The organisation warned that the increasing monetisation of elections and the potential misuse of state institutions posed serious threats to democratic integrity and fair electoral competition.
It said voters, journalists and civil society organisations could not effectively scrutinise political financing where contribution limits were not easily accessible or where there was no publicly known mechanism for monitoring compliance.
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SERAP expressed concern over what it described as persistent challenges in regulating political finance in Nigeria, including excessive campaign spending, opaque funding sources, weak disclosure requirements and limited enforcement of statutory rules.
According to the organisation, it remained unclear whether INEC had prescribed, clearly published and effectively monitored applicable contribution limits under the Electoral Act, 2026.
SERAP referred to Section 91 of the Electoral Act, 2026, which gives INEC the power to place limits on the amount of money or other assets an individual may contribute to a political party or candidate.
The organisation said the law also provides sanctions where individuals, candidates or political parties exceed applicable limits prescribed by the commission.
Among its demands, SERAP urged INEC to publish any political contribution limits prescribed under the law and disclose detailed statements of political parties’ assets, liabilities, sources of funds and expenditure.
It also asked the commission to publish political parties’ annual financial statements, audited accounts and election expenditure returns for 2023 to 2025, as well as relevant examination and audit reports submitted to the National Assembly.
SERAP gave INEC seven days from the receipt or publication of its request to provide the information, warning that it would take appropriate legal action to compel compliance if the commission failed to respond.
