Kenya and Nigeria prepare for 2027 national elections

Kenya's Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has published a detailed timetable for the 2027 general election, scheduled for Tuesday, August 10, 2027. Public officers who wish to stand must resign by February 9, 2027, and parties must submit membership lists by March 16. Party primaries must be completed by May 9, with candidate nominations running from May 29 to June 11, and the official campaign period set from May 29 to August 7.

In Nigeria, several developments highlight challenges ahead of its 2027 polls. Analyst Yinka Ogunnubi warned that “how independent can a referee be when he holds a seat to one of the players?” criticizing systemic biases in the electoral process. Former INEC chair Attahiru Jega called for urgent amendments to the 2026 Electoral Act, citing vague provisions on electronic result transmission and court jurisdiction. INEC suspended an electoral officer after an unauthorized leak of Nollywood actor Emeka Ike’s voter data, stating the breach involved a single record and did not affect the national register. The commission also highlighted funding shortfalls that could impede procurement of ballot materials and announced plans for mock presidential elections to test its systems before the 2027 vote.