2027 Elections: INEC begins Ad Hoc staff recruitment

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has launched its recruitment website for those Nigerians who are interested in serving as ad hoc election officials in the 2027 general elections.

This recruitment process will be done through INEC Portal for Engagement of Election Staff (INECPRES), which facilitates the application process for such roles as the Supervisory Presiding Officer, Presiding Officer, Assistant Presiding Officer, Registration Area Centre Manager and Registration Area Technical Support officials.

According to a public notice issued by the Commission, the portal opened at 8:00am on Friday, September 18, 2026, and is scheduled to close at midnight on Wednesday, November 18, 2026.

The recruitment is open to eligible categories of public servants, NYSC members and former corps members, tertiary institution students, relevant MDA personnel, school officials and qualified personnel with IT backgrounds, depending on the position being sought.

INEC Ad Hoc Staff Positions
Position Eligible Applicants/Key Requirement
Supervisory Presiding Officer (SPO) Public/Civil Servants on GL 10–14, Registration Area Officers or eligible INEC staff
Registration Area Centre Manager (RAC Manager) Head of school or staff of the institution/public building hosting the RAC, generally GL 07 and above
Presiding Officer (PO) Serving corps members, eligible penultimate tertiary students, qualifying MDA staff, eligible INEC staff and former corps members
Assistant Presiding Officer (APO) Same broad eligibility categories applicable to PO
Registration Area Technical Support (RATECH) Applicants with an IT background, including suitable INEC ICT personnel
INEC’s official eligibility page sets out the requirements for each category.

Who Can Apply?
The eligibility depends on the position.

Supervisory Presiding Officer
Applicants must generally be public or civil servants on Grade Level 10–14, or eligible Registration Area Officers/INEC staff who are not engaged in other duties.

Registration Area Centre Manager
Applicants must be a head of a school or a staff member of the school, institution or public building hosting the Registration Area Centre, with the applicable grade-level requirement.

Presiding Officer/Assistant Presiding Officer
INEC lists the following categories among those eligible:

Serving NYSC corps members;
Penultimate students of federal or state tertiary institutions in Nigeria with knowledge of IT;
Permanent staff of an MDA with an OND qualification or on GL 07–10;
Eligible INEC permanent staff on GL 07–08; and
Former corps members within the specified eligibility period.
Registration Area Technical Support
Applicants for RATECH positions must have an IT background.

Suitable INEC ICT personnel at the state or headquarters level who are not engaged in other duties may apply under the stated criteria.

Documents and Information Required
Applicants should have the following ready before beginning the registration process:

Requirement Details

Email Functional email address
Phone Functional mobile phone number
Bank account Personal bank account number
Passport photograph Recent passport photograph on a plain/white background, not exceeding 5MB
Referees Contact details of two referees
Staff/Student ID Valid Staff ID or Student ID where applicable
NYSC information Relevant NYSC Call-up Number for eligible serving/former corps members
Qualification Copy of highest qualification in PDF format
Identification Valid means of identification in JPG/JPEG format
These requirements are listed on the official INECPRES application instructions page.

Important Application Instructions
Applicants are advised to enter their names as they appear on their BVN when completing the bank details section.

INEC also states that application details cannot be edited after submission, making it important for applicants to carefully review their information before submitting.

Applicants must also provide referee details and complete the required attestation.

After a successful submission, applicants are required to print their acknowledgement slip, which INEC says will be needed for final verification.

How to Apply for INEC Ad Hoc Staff Recruitment

Visit the official INEC/INECPRES recruitment portal.
Review the eligibility requirements for the available positions.
Select the position for which you qualify.
Register and create a password.
Complete the application form.
Enter your personal, contact and bank information accurately.
Upload your passport photograph.
Provide the details of your two referees.
Complete the required attestation.
Review all information carefully.
Submit the application.
Print and keep your acknowledgement slip.
INEC’s official application instructions confirm that submissions are final after they are made, so applicants should check their information thoroughly before clicking the submit button.

Important Things Applicants Should Know

Applicants can apply for only one election staff position through the portal.

INEC also states that deployment is based on an applicant’s selected state of residence, subject to the applicable recruitment conditions.

Applicants should also carefully check the eligibility requirements for their preferred position rather than assuming that eligibility for one category automatically qualifies them for another.

Deadline

The INECPRES recruitment window for the 2027 general elections is scheduled to close at:

Midnight, Wednesday, November 18, 2026.

Applicants are advised to complete their registration well before the deadline to avoid last-minute technical or submission problems.