The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has opened its online portal for the recruitment of ad hoc staff for the 2027 general elections.
The commission said it plans to deploy about 1.4 million temporary election personnel across more than 176,000 polling units nationwide.
The ad hoc staff will be recruited, trained and deployed for specific election duties before being released after the exercise. They will serve during the Presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January 16, 2027, and the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections scheduled for February 6, 2027.
In a public notice issued on Thursday, INEC said the INECPRES portal would open at 8am on Friday, September 18, 2026, and close at midnight on Wednesday, November 18, 2026.
Interested applicants can access the recruitment platform through INEC’s official website or directly via the INECPRES web portal.
The recruitment covers several categories of election personnel, including Supervisory Presiding Officers (SPOs), Presiding Officers (POs), Assistant Presiding Officers (APOs), Registration Area Centre (RAC) Managers and Registration Area Technical Support (RATECH) personnel.
Who can apply?
According to INEC, eligibility depends on the position being applied for, the applicant’s institution, employment status and educational qualifications.
Potential applicants include:
- Serving NYSC members;
- Former NYSC members who meet the specified conditions;
- Students of Federal and State tertiary institutions;
- Eligible Federal and State government employees;
- Permanent staff of Ministries, Departments and Agencies;
- Qualified INEC personnel;
- Eligible ICT personnel; and
- Staff of institutions designated to host Registration Area Centres.
INEC advised applicants to carefully check the eligibility requirements for their preferred category before submitting their applications.
Requirements for SPOs
The SPO category is open to eligible personnel in the Federal Public/Civil Service and Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
The commission lists public-sector employees on Grade Levels 10 to 14 among those who may qualify, subject to the applicable conditions.
Serving NYSC members are also eligible, while former corps members may qualify if their service falls within the period specified by INEC.
The commission cited 2024, 2025 and 2026 as examples of service years that may qualify former corps members under the specified three-year requirement.
Requirements for POs and APOs
The PO and APO categories include eligible students of Federal and State tertiary institutions as well as certain government employees.
Students’ eligibility varies depending on their year of study.
Permanent staff of Federal and State MDAs with OND or NCE qualifications are also eligible under specified conditions.
INEC said applicable salary-grade requirements include GL 07-10 and GL 07-14, depending on the category and conditions.
Applicants are advised to confirm the specific requirements before choosing a position.
Requirements for RAC Managers
The RAC Manager category is linked to schools and other institutions designated to serve as Registration Area Centres or Super RACs.
The head of a school or a staff member of the institution hosting the RAC may qualify, subject to INEC’s requirements, including the applicable Grade Level 07 and above condition.
Requirements for RATECHs
RATECH refers to Registration Area Technical Support.
The category is intended for applicants with relevant ICT and technical backgrounds.
Eligible applicants include INEC ICT personnel at the state and headquarters levels who are not engaged in other duties, as well as IT students of Federal and State tertiary institutions.
Former corps members may also qualify where they meet the applicable conditions.
How to apply
Applicants are required to:
- Visit the INECPRES portal through INEC’s official website or access the web portal directly.
- Read the instructions and eligibility requirements for the available positions.
- Select the position for which they qualify.
- Complete the registration details.
- Provide accurate personal, educational and employment information.
- Supply the required supporting information.
- Review all information before submission.
- Submit the application.
- Keep their registration or application details for future reference.
INEC urged prospective applicants to complete their applications before the deadline rather than wait until the final day.
Application deadline
The INECPRES portal opened at 8am on Friday, September 18, 2026, and will close at 12 midnight on Wednesday, November 18, 2026.
The commission said its IT Service Management operates a 24-hour helpdesk for enquiries relating to the recruitment platform.
Applicants can contact the helpdesk through 0700-CALL-INEC or inecpress@inec.gov.ng.