The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has announced that it will elect a new national president on May 24, 2026, during its forthcoming national convention.
A detailed timetable has also been outlined for the electoral process and preparatory activities leading up to the vote.
The exercise is aimed at ensuring an orderly leadership transition and maintaining democratic procedures within the country’s largest student body, with transparency and cooperation among aspirants, delegates, and stakeholders emphasised to guarantee a credible outcome.
The chairman of the 2026 Independent Convention Planning Committee, Omotayo Samuel, disclosed the schedule on Wednesday while briefing journalists in Abuja.
He explained that the planning committee was inaugurated on March 8, 2026, by the current NANS President, Olusola Oladoja, in line with the organisation’s constitution, to coordinate preparations for the convention.
Samuel said several sub-committees had been established to manage key aspects of the process. “The sub-committees were carefully constituted to allow proper delegation of responsibilities and ensure efficiency in planning,” he said.
The committees include Screening and Verification, Screening Appeal, Venue and Protocol, Welfare and Entertainment, Accommodation, Security, Stakeholders Engagement, Medical and Emergency, Media and Publicity, Fund Raising and Finance, Election Management, Transport and Logistics, Contact and Mobilisation, and Accreditation.
Each sub-committee consists of at least 10 members drawn from Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones to promote inclusiveness, with disciplinary measures introduced to address any misconduct during the planning process.
The committee chairman also outlined the timetable for the convention process, noting that pre-convention activities began on March 8 and will run until March 30.
Nomination and accreditation forms will be available for collection from April 1 to April 7, with submission of completed forms scheduled for April 8 to April 10.
“Physical screening of aspirants will take place from April 12 to April 19, while the Screening and Verification Committee will verify studentship between April 20 and April 27,” Samuel said.
He added that screening results will be released on April 29, followed by an appeal window from May 1 to May 7. Final appeal results are expected to be announced on May 9.
Convention activities are set to take place from May 22 to May 25 at the Old Parade Ground in Abuja. Delegates are expected to arrive on May 20, and a peace accord with the Department of State Services will be held on May 21.
