The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has opened its online portal for the recruitment of ad hoc staff for the 2027 general elections.The ad hoc personnel will be recruited, trained and deployed to various polling units for the elections.

INEC is expected to deploy about 1.4 million ad hoc staff across more than 176,000 polling units nationwide.

The personnel will serve in different capacities 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.

According to a public notice issued by the commission, the INEC Portal for Recruitment of Election Staff, known as INECPRES, opened at 8am on Friday, September 18, 2026, and will close at midnight on Wednesday, November 18, 2026.

The recruitment covers positions including Supervisory Presiding Officers, Presiding Officers, Assistant Presiding Officers, Registration Area Centre Managers and Registration Area Technical Support personnel.

Who Can Apply

INEC said eligibility varies according to the position, educational qualification, employment status and institution of the applicant.

Those who may qualify include serving NYSC members, eligible former corps members, students of Federal and State tertiary institutions, eligible Federal and State government employees, permanent staff of Ministries, Departments and Agencies, qualified INEC personnel and eligible ICT personnel.

Applicants are required to check the specific eligibility requirements for their preferred position before applying.

Requirements For SPOs

The Supervisory Presiding Officer category covers eligible personnel from the Federal Public/Civil Service and Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

Public-sector employees within Grade Level 10 to 14 may qualify, subject to the applicable conditions. Serving NYSC members are also included, while former corps members may qualify where they meet INEC’s specified conditions.

Requirements For POs And APOs

The Presiding Officer and Assistant Presiding Officer categories include eligible students of tertiary institutions and certain government employees.

Students of Federal and State tertiary institutions may apply, subject to the requirements for their level of study.

Permanent staff of Federal and State MDAs with OND or NCE qualifications may also qualify under the specified conditions.

Applicants are advised to confirm their eligibility before selecting a position.

Requirements For RAC Managers

The Registration Area Centre Manager category is linked to schools and other institutions designated to host Registration Area Centres or Super RACs.

Heads of schools or staff members of institutions hosting RACs may qualify, subject to INEC’s requirements, including the applicable Grade Level 07 and above condition.RATECH Recruitment

The Registration Area Technical Support category is targeted at applicants with relevant ICT and technical backgrounds.

Eligible INEC ICT staff who are not engaged in other duties, IT students of Federal and State tertiary institutions and other qualified applicants may be considered, subject to the commission’s requirements.

How To Apply

Interested applicants are required to visit the INECPRES portal through the official INEC website and review the eligibility requirements for the available positions.

Applicants should select the position for which they qualify, create an account where required and complete the application form with accurate personal, educational, employment and other relevant information.

The INECPRES application process requires applicants to provide details including a functional email address, mobile phone number, personal bank account, recent passport photograph and referee information. Applicants may also be required to upload relevant qualifications and identification documents.

After completing the application, applicants are advised to carefully review the information supplied before submitting it, as submitted details may not be editable.

Applicants should also print or keep their acknowledgement slip for future reference.

Application Deadline

The INECPRES recruitment portal opened at 8am on Friday, September 18, 2026, and applications will close at midnight on Wednesday, November 18, 2026.

Applicants are advised to complete their applications before the deadline and rely on INEC’s official platforms for updates and further information.