Guineans have reacted with shock after it was announced that presidential candidates would need to pay a deposit of 875 million Guinean francs ($100,000; £75,000) to contest December's election, which should see the military leaders hand power to civilians.
Guinea has been under military rule since Colonel Mamady Doumbouya seized power in a 2021 coup.
The elections are being held under a new constitution that allowed Doumbouya to run for the presidency – although he has not announced if he plans to.
While the previous deposit was almost as high - 800 million francs - some analysts had hoped it would be reduced to encourage more people to stand in these historic elections.
This amount is huge, political analyst Kabinet Fofana expressed to the BBC. This decision adds to the growing criticism against the general direction of elections.
Candidates who get more than 5% of the vote in the first round of the election will get their deposit repaid.
The authorities argue that the high amount is necessary to ensure only credible candidates take part. However, presidential candidate Faya Millimono pointed out the dramatic increase in fees, noting, Until 2005, the deposit never exceeded 50 million [Guinean francs]. The madness began in 2010, when it was thought necessary to block certain candidates. The amount went from 50 million to 400 million, and today we're talking about 900 million.
These costs to participate in elections are among the highest in the region, with comparative figures showing that in Nigeria, the electoral commission set a fee of 100 million naira ($67,000) and in Cameroon it's $53,000.
The electoral body has also set a campaign spending limit of 40 billion Guinean francs ($4.6 million; £3.5 million) per candidate. Some candidates believe these amounts send a clear signal that only the wealthy or those who have already benefited from state resources can truly compete.
So far, some 50 candidates from political parties and 16 independent candidates have been approved. However, major opposition parties, notably the Rally of the People of Guinea (RPG Arc-en-Ciel) and the Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea (UFDG), led by former leaders currently in exile, have not yet registered but have the option to do so before the deadline.
With Guineans awaiting a transition to civilian rule, the high financial barrier raises concerns about the inclusivity and fairness of the impending elections.
