Every one of Nigeria's 22 registered political parties has now filed their member lists with the electoral commission.

Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission has confirmed that the country's 22 registered political parties have all successfully filed their membership registers, as required by the Electoral Act 2026, with the deadline looming for the 2027 general election.

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This development comes after the Commission, led by Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee Mohammed Haruna, extended the submission timeline following concerns raised by the parties over the initial cutoff date, as outlined in a statement released on Friday.

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A meeting between the Commission and political parties on March 24, 2026, prompted the extension, as stakeholders voiced their reservations about the original timeline set out in the Revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2027 General Election.

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As a result, the deadline for submitting party membership registers was pushed back from April 21, 2026, to May 10, 2026, in order to bring it into line with Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act 2026 and the primary dates chosen by the parties themselves.

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According to the Commission, all 22 registered parties managed to submit their registers by May 8, 2026, a full two days ahead of the newly extended deadline, as noted in the statement issued by the Commission.

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The electoral body has given political parties the green light to hold their primaries between April 23, 2026, and May 30, 2026, with the proviso that party registers must be submitted at least 21 days before the primary dates.

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INEC has confirmed that all registered parties have complied with the registration requirements within the extended timeframe and has reassured Nigerians that the submitted registers will be subject to verification, in accordance with the law.

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The Commission has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that the upcoming elections are conducted in a free, fair, credible, and inclusive manner, as stated in the statement.