📌 Quick answer: The presidential and National Assembly elections hold on Saturday 16 January 2027, and the governorship and State House of Assembly elections on Saturday 6 February 2027. Go to the polling unit where you registered with your own PVC. Polling units open at 8:30am and close at 2:30pm, but anyone already in the queue by 2:30pm can still vote. The BVAS machine checks your card and your fingerprint or face; then you get a stamped ballot, thumbprint your choice in secret, fold it and drop it in the box. INEC’s rule is simple: “NO PVC, NO VOTING.”
The 2027 general election comes earlier in the year than usual. After INEC revised its timetable, the presidential election moved to January, and campaigns for it must end 24 hours before polling day. If you have never voted, or last voted before the BVAS machine was introduced, this guide walks you through exactly what happens from the moment you arrive at your polling unit.
Everything below comes from INEC’s own voter education material and its election timetable. Read it once before election day and you will not be caught out at the polling unit.
2027 Election Dates at a Glance
| Election | Polling day | Campaigns end | Ballot papers you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Presidential and National Assembly | Saturday 16 January 2027 | Friday 15 January 2027 | President, Senate, House of Representatives |
| Governorship and State House of Assembly | Saturday 6 February 2027 | Friday 5 February 2027 | Governor and State Assembly (FCT residents do not vote for a governor) |
Before Election Day: Three Things to Check
- You have your PVC in your hand. A photocopy, a photo on your phone or the old temporary voter’s card will not work. If you have not collected your card yet, see our guide to PVC collection for the 2027 election.
- You know your polling unit. You can only vote where your name is on the register. Use INEC’s voter status check, and see our step-by-step guide to finding your polling unit.
- You know how you will get there. In past elections the police have restricted vehicle movement on polling day. If your polling unit is far from home, plan to walk, or to travel the day before.
Polling Hours: 8:30am to 2:30pm
INEC says polling units “will open at 8:30am and close at 2:30pm or when the last person on the queue on or before 2:30pm votes.” Accreditation and voting happen at the same time, so you are checked and you vote in one visit. If you join the queue at 2:25pm, you are still entitled to vote. If you arrive at 2:35pm, you are too late.
Going early is wise. Queues are longest in the late morning, and early arrival gives you time to sort out any problem with your name or card while officials are still there.
How to Vote: Step by Step
Step 1: Join the queue at your polling unit
Go to the exact polling unit printed on your PVC and join the queue. Where local custom requires it, officials may run separate queues for men and women. Officials can also create a separate line for persons with disabilities.
Step 2: The BVAS checks your card
When it is your turn, an assistant presiding officer scans your PVC with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS). The machine checks that the card is yours and that your name is on the register for that polling unit.
Step 3: Fingerprint or face check
The BVAS then matches your fingerprint. If your fingerprint fails, INEC says the BVAS switches to facial recognition and takes your picture to compare with your registration photo.
INEC’s procedure is strict on this point: “If the BVAS fails to recognise your fingerprints as well as facial photograph, you will not be allowed to vote.” Clean your fingers before your turn, remove sunglasses and face coverings when the official asks, and look straight at the device.
Step 4: Your name is ticked and you get a ballot
An official finds your name on the register and ticks it, applies ink to your finger, and gives you a ballot paper that has been stamped, signed and dated. On 16 January you will receive three ballot papers (president, Senate and House of Representatives); on 6 February you will receive two (governor and State Assembly). Each has its own box.
Step 5: Thumbprint your choice in secret
Take your ballot into the voting cubicle and press your inked thumb in the box beside the party you choose. Keep the ink inside one box. INEC warns that smearing ink into other boxes can make your vote invalid.
Do not take a photograph of your ballot in the cubicle. INEC’s procedure says you are not allowed to, and showing someone how you voted is how vote-buyers check that they got what they paid for.
Step 6: Fold and drop it in the right box
INEC asks voters to “fold your ballot vertically inward” so the ink does not stain another party’s box, then drop it into the correct ballot box in full view of everyone at the polling unit.
Step 7: Leave, or stay and watch the count
You can go home, or stay to watch. INEC says you are free to remain 300 metres from the polling area to observe the sorting, counting and announcement of results, as long as you are orderly. The presiding officer counts the votes openly, announces the result at the polling unit and uses the BVAS to upload the result sheet to INEC’s Result Viewing portal (IReV), where anyone can see it.
What If Something Goes Wrong?
| Problem | What to do |
|---|---|
| Your fingerprint is not recognised | Ask for the facial check. If both fail, you cannot vote at that election, so report it to the presiding officer for the record. |
| Your name is not on the register at the polling unit | You may be at the wrong polling unit. Check your PVC and INEC’s voter status service. You can vote only where your name is listed. |
| You lost your PVC | Without the card you cannot vote. Replacement must be done through INEC before the deadlines it announces; it cannot be done on polling day. |
| The BVAS is not working | Stay in the queue and remain calm. Officials will contact INEC for a replacement device or further instructions. |
| Someone offers you money for your vote | Refuse. Buying and selling votes are both offences under the Electoral Act. Report it to the police or INEC officials at the polling unit. |
What You Must Not Do at the Polling Unit
- Do not campaign. Campaigns end 24 hours before polling day. Do not wear party clothes or carry party materials to the polling unit.
- Do not photograph your ballot. Keep your phone in your pocket in the cubicle.
- Do not sell or buy votes. Both are election offences.
- Do not try to vote twice or with someone else’s card. The BVAS ties each card to one person’s fingerprint and face.
- Do not stay around the voting area after voting. If you want to observe, stay orderly and at the distance officials ask.
Voters Who Need Help
The Electoral Act allows a voter who is blind, or who otherwise cannot vote without help, to be assisted by a person of their choice. INEC has also provided aids such as braille ballot guides and magnifying glasses at past elections. If you are elderly, pregnant or have a disability, tell the officials at the polling unit; they can attend to you in a separate queue.
What to Bring on Election Day
- Your PVC (the only document you need to vote)
- Water and a light snack; queues can be long
- An umbrella or cap for the sun
- Your polling unit address and code, written down, in case your phone dies
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the 2027 presidential election in Nigeria?
Saturday 16 January 2027, together with the Senate and House of Representatives elections. Governorship and State Assembly elections follow on 6 February 2027.
What time do polling units open and close?
They open at 8:30am and close at 2:30pm. Anyone in the queue by 2:30pm can still vote.
Can I vote without my PVC?
No. INEC’s rule is “NO PVC, NO VOTING.” The BVAS must read your own card.
Can I vote at any polling unit?
No. You can only vote at the polling unit where your name is on the register.
What happens if BVAS does not recognise my fingerprint?
It switches to facial recognition. If both fingerprint and face fail, INEC says you will not be allowed to vote.
Can I take a picture of my ballot paper?
No. INEC says you are not allowed to photograph your ballot in the voting cubicle.
Where can I see my polling unit’s result?
The result is announced at the polling unit, and the result sheet is uploaded with the BVAS to INEC’s Result Viewing portal (IReV).
Sources
- Independent National Electoral Commission – Voter Education page, “Voting procedure”, inecnigeria.org, checked 8 November 2026
- Independent National Electoral Commission – “2023–2027 Election Procedures” voter guide
- Independent National Electoral Commission – timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general election (as revised), with campaign periods published July 2026
- Electoral Act 2026 – voting, assistance for voters with disabilities and election offences
Last updated: 8 November 2026 · NaijaSabi Civic Desk. INEC may issue further guidelines before polling day; check inecnigeria.org for updates.
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