ABUJA, NIGERIA — The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially activated its portal for the recruitment of temporary ad hoc election staff in preparation for the 2027 general elections.
The commission disclosed in a public notice issued on Thursday that it plans to deploy approximately 1.4 million ad hoc personnel across more than 176,000 polling units across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
According to the electoral umpire, the online application portal—known as the INEC Portal for Recruitment of Election Staff (INECPRES)—opened at 8:00 a.m. on Friday, September 18, 2026, and will automatically shut down at 12:00 midnight on Wednesday, November 18, 2026.
The temporary workforce will manage polling operations during the Presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January 16, 2027, as well as the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections slated for February 6, 2027.
INECPRES RECRUITMENT TIMELINE
┌──────────────────────────────┬──────────────────────────────┐
│ Event │ Date │
├──────────────────────────────┼──────────────────────────────┤
│ Portal Activation │ Friday, September 18, 2026 │
│ Application Deadline │ Wednesday, November 18, 2026 │
│ Presidential & NASS Polls │ Saturday, January 16, 2027 │
│ Governorship & Assembly Polls│ Saturday, February 6, 2027 │
└──────────────────────────────┴──────────────────────────────┘
The commission outlined several categories of positions available for qualified Nigerians, including Supervisory Presiding Officers (SPOs), Presiding Officers (POs), Assistant Presiding Officers (APOs), Registration Area Centre (RAC) Managers, and Registration Area Technical Support (RATECH) personnel.
Eligibility Requirements by Cadre
Eligibility varies across categories depending on employment status, grade level, educational background, and institutional affiliation:
- Supervisory Presiding Officers (SPOs): Open to senior federal public and civil servants on Grade Level 10 to 14, serving National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members, and ex-corps members who completed their service between 2024 and 2026.
- Presiding Officers (POs) & Assistant Presiding Officers (APOs): Targeted at tertiary institution students, permanent staff of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) holding OND or NCE qualifications, and civil servants within Grade Level 07–10 and 07–14 cadres.
- RAC Managers: Open to heads or senior administrative staff (Grade Level 07 and above) of educational institutions designated as Registration Area Centres or Super RACs.
- RATECH Personnel: Restricted to ICT professionals, including qualified INEC state and headquarters technical staff not on other assignments, as well as IT students from accredited federal and state tertiary institutions.
Step-by-Step Application Guide
Interested applicants are required to complete their submissions through the official portal before the deadline:
- Access the web platform via the official INEC website or directly through the INECPRES web link.
- Review the positional criteria carefully before choosing a role.
- Fill out the application form with personal, academic, and professional details.
- Upload all required supporting credentials.
- Verify provided details and submit the application form.
- Save the registration slip and confirmation code for future reference.
INEC emphasized that its IT Service Management unit operates a 24-hour helpdesk for applicant enquiries through the vanity phone line 0700-CALL-INEC or via email at inecpress@inec.gov.ng.
