The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has opened its online recruitment portal for Nigerians interested in serving as ad hoc personnel during the 2027 general elections.
The temporary election workers will be recruited, trained and deployed to perform various duties during the elections before their engagement ends after the exercise.
INEC is expected to recruit approximately 1.4 million ad hoc personnel for deployment across more than 176,000 polling units nationwide.
According to the commission’s election timetable, the Presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, while the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections are scheduled for February 6, 2027.
In a public notice, INEC said its INEC Portal for Recruitment of Election Staff (INECPRES) would open at 8:00am on Friday, September 18, 2026, and close at midnight on Wednesday, November 18, 2026.
Interested Nigerians can register through the INECPRES web platform or access the recruitment portal via the commission’s official website.
Categories of Ad Hoc Staff
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
- Registration Area Technical Support (RATECH) personnel
Who Can Apply?
INEC said eligibility varies according to the position, applicant’s institution, employment status and educational qualification.
Potential applicants include serving NYSC members, eligible former corps members, students of Federal and State tertiary institutions, qualified Federal and State government employees, permanent staff of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), eligible INEC personnel and qualified ICT personnel.
Staff connected with institutions designated to serve as Registration Area Centres may also qualify for relevant positions.
Applicants are advised to carefully study the requirements for their preferred category before beginning registration.
Requirements for SPOs
The Supervisory Presiding Officer category is open to eligible personnel in the Federal Public/Civil Service and Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
Public-sector employees on Grade Levels 10 to 14 may qualify, subject to the conditions outlined by INEC.
Serving NYSC members are also included, while former corps members may be eligible where they meet the commission’s stipulated conditions.
The recruitment notice references corps members who completed their service in 2024, 2025 or 2026, in line with the specified three-year eligibility period.
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, although eligibility varies according to their year of study and other conditions.
Permanent employees of Federal and State MDAs with OND or NCE qualifications may also qualify for specific categories.
INEC has specified different salary-grade requirements, including GL 07–10 and GL 07–14, depending on the position and applicable category.
Applicants should confirm that they meet all relevant conditions before selecting a position.
Requirements for RAC Managers
The Registration Area Centre Manager position is intended for eligible personnel associated with schools and other institutions selected to serve as Registration Area Centres (RACs) or Super Registration Area Centres.
A school head or another eligible staff member of an institution hosting an RAC may qualify, subject to INEC’s stated requirements.
The applicable criteria include the relevant Grade Level 07 and above condition.
Requirements for RATECHs
RATECH, which stands for Registration Area Technical Support, is designed for applicants with relevant information and communications technology or technical qualifications.
Eligible INEC ICT personnel at the state and headquarters levels who are not engaged in other duties may apply.
IT students of Federal and State tertiary institutions are also included in the category, while eligible former corps members may be considered where they satisfy the applicable requirements.
How to Apply
Interested applicants are expected to complete their registration through the INECPRES platform.
Applicants should:
- Visit the INECPRES recruitment portal.
- Review the eligibility requirements for their preferred position.
- Complete the registration form with accurate information.
- Submit the application before the stated deadline.
- Keep their registration details for future reference.
INECPRES Portal: https://pres.inecnigeria.org/
The recruitment portal is scheduled to remain open from September 18 to November 18, 2026.
