New campaign spending limits will weaken INEC, Nigeria’s democracy – Don
A political scientist has warned that Nigeria’s democracy risks being tilted further in favour of the wealthy following the House of Representatives’ decision to sharply increase campaign spending limits for candidates seeking elective offices.
Speaking exclusively to SOCIETY WATCH, Professor Murtala Muhammad of Northwest University, Kano, said the new thresholds could turn elections into contests of financial power rather than ideas, competence and public trust.
According to him, while the inclusion of real-time electronic transmission of results is a positive reform, it is overshadowed by what he described as “a dangerous recalibration” of campaign financing rules that could deepen inequality and weaken democratic accountability.
The concerns come after the House passed the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2025, following clause-by-clause consideration of a report by the House Committee on Electoral Matters, chaired by Adebayo Balogun.
Under the amended law, the maximum amount a presidential candidate can spend was increased from N5 billion to N10 billion, while the limit for governorship candidates rose from N1 billion to N3 billion.
Campaign spending ceilings were also raised across other levels. Senatorial candidates can now spend up to N500 million, up from N100 million, while candidates for the House of Representatives are allowed N250 million, compared to the previous N70 million. For state constituencies, the cap was raised from N30 million to N100 million; chairmanship candidates can now spend N60 million instead of N30 million, while councillorship candidates’ limits doubled from N5 million to N10 million.
The House also approved a provision limiting individual or corporate donations to a maximum of N500 million per candidate. In addition, it passed an amendment mandating the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to transmit election results electronically in real time.
