The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission to disclose whether it has set limits on political contributions ahead of the 2027 general elections. The request was contained in a Freedom of Information letter dated August 22, 2026, and signed by SERAP Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare.
SERAP urged INEC to publish any limits prescribed under Section 91 of the Electoral Act 2026 and explain how it plans to monitor and enforce compliance. The organisation also requested details of the systems, personnel and procedures being used to track political contributions and campaign spending during the 2027 electoral process.
The organisation wants INEC to explain how it will monitor cash and in-kind donations, digital and social-media financing, third-party expenditure and contributions made through intermediaries. It said transparency was necessary to prevent excessive financial influence and ensure voters could make free and informed political choices.
SERAP also asked INEC to publish political parties’ latest financial records, including annual statements, audited accounts and election expenditure returns for 2023 to 2025. It requested the commission’s examination and audit reports under Sections 225 and 226 of the Constitution, as well as details of enforcement actions taken over political-finance violations.
The organisation expressed concern over the monetisation of elections and what it described as persistent failures by political parties to disclose campaign contributions. It argued that statutory contribution and spending limits should prevent excessive financial influence during elections rather than merely provide a basis for retrospective accounting after voting.
SERAP further asked INEC to disclose its 2027 political-finance monitoring plan, including arrangements for real-time or near-real-time monitoring and collaboration with anti-corruption, financial-intelligence, regulatory and law-enforcement agencies. It also wants details of parties that submitted reports of contributions received after the 2023 elections and actions taken against those that failed to comply.
The organisation gave INEC seven days from receipt or publication of the request to provide the information, warning that it would take legal action if the commission failed to respond. SERAP said effective regulation of political financing was essential to protecting equal political participation, electoral integrity and citizens’ meaningful participation in public affairs.
