INEC Opens 2027 Recruitment Portal: See Who Can Apply, Requirements, Application Steps and Deadline
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has opened its online recruitment portal for Nigerians interested in working as ad-hoc personnel during the 2027 General Elections.
The recruitment exercise commenced at 8:00 a.m. on Friday, September 18, 2026, and the application portal is scheduled to close at midnight on Wednesday, November 18, 2026.
INEC’s recruitment is being conducted through its INEC Portal for Recruitment of Election Staff (INECPRES), the Commission’s official platform for engaging temporary election personnel.
The Commission is expected to deploy about 1.4 million ad-hoc personnel across more than 176,000 polling units for the 2027 elections. 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.
Positions available
According to INEC, 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 personnel (RATECHs)
However, applicants cannot simply choose any position. Eligibility depends on factors including educational qualification, employment status, institution and, in some cases, grade level.
Who can apply?
The recruitment covers different categories of Nigerians, subject to the requirements attached to each position.
Potential applicants include:
- Serving NYSC members
- Eligible former NYSC members
- Students of Federal and State tertiary institutions
- Eligible Federal and State government employees
- Permanent staff of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs)
- Qualified INEC personnel
- Eligible ICT personnel
- Personnel connected with institutions selected to host Registration Area Centres
INEC advises prospective applicants to check the specific eligibility requirements before applying for a particular position.
What are the requirements for SPOs?
For the Supervisory Presiding Officer position, eligible personnel from the Federal Public/Civil Service and MDAs are among those covered.
The requirements include public-sector employees within specified grade levels, including Grade Level 10 to 14, subject to the conditions stated by INEC.
Serving NYSC members and certain former corps members may also qualify. INEC’s current information identifies former corps members whose service falls within the specified period, including 2024, 2025 and 2026 examples.
Requirements for Presiding Officers and Assistant Presiding Officers
Students of Federal and State tertiary institutions are among those who may apply for Presiding Officer (PO) and Assistant Presiding Officer (APO) positions.
Eligibility varies according to the applicant’s year of study and other requirements.
Certain permanent staff of Federal and State MDAs holding qualifications such as OND or NCE are also included under specified conditions and grade levels.
Who can apply as RAC Manager?
The Registration Area Centre Manager (RAC Manager) position is linked to schools and other institutions designated to serve as RACs or Super RACs.
The head of a school or an eligible staff member of an institution hosting an RAC may qualify, subject to INEC’s stated requirements, including the applicable Grade Level 07 and above condition.
Who can apply as RATECH?
RATECH refers to Registration Area Technical Support.
The position is targeted at applicants with relevant ICT and technical backgrounds.
INEC’s requirements include eligible ICT personnel within the Commission as well as IT students of Federal and State tertiary institutions. Certain former corps members may also qualify where applicable.
Documents and information applicants should prepare
INEC’s official INECPRES application guide says applicants should have the following ready:
- Functional email address
- Working mobile phone number
- Personal bank account number
- Recent passport photograph with a white background, not exceeding 5MB
- Contact details of two referees, including their email addresses and phone numbers
- Valid Staff ID or Student ID number, where applicable
- NYSC Call-Up Number for eligible former corps members
- NYSC Call-Up Number for applicable serving corps members
- Copy of highest qualification in PDF format
- Valid means of identification in JPG or JPEG format
Applicants should ensure that their personal information and supporting documents are accurate before submitting the application.
How to apply for INEC 2027 ad-hoc staff recruitment
Interested Nigerians can follow these steps:
Step 1: Visit the official INECPRES portal.
Step 2: Read the eligibility requirements for the available positions.
Step 3: Determine the position for which you qualify.
Step 4: Click on Register and follow the instructions.
Step 5: Enter your personal, educational and employment details.
Step 6: Upload the required documents and passport photograph.
Step 7: Carefully review all information supplied.
Step 8: Submit the application.
Step 9: Keep your application details and acknowledgement slip for future reference.
INEC’s official guide states that an acknowledgement slip will be displayed after successful submission, and applicants should print it.
Important warning to applicants
Applicants should be extremely careful about fraudulent recruitment websites.
INEC has previously warned Nigerians that recruitment for its ad-hoc personnel is conducted through its official INECPRES platform and that unofficial websites claiming to recruit on behalf of the Commission should not be trusted.
Applicants should therefore avoid giving sensitive information such as passwords, OTPs or banking credentials to unofficial websites.
Official application portal
Interested applicants should use the official INECPRES platform:
INECPRES:
https://pres.inecnigeria.org/
Applicants can also access INECPRES through the official “INEC website”
When does the application close?
The INECPRES portal opened at 8:00 a.m. on Friday, September 18, 2026.
The application deadline is midnight on Wednesday, November 18, 2026.
Applicants are advised not to wait until the final day before submitting their applications.
At a glance
Recruiting organisation: Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
Recruitment: 2027 General Election Ad-Hoc Staff
Portal: INECPRES
Opening date: September 18, 2026
Opening time: 8:00 a.m.
Closing date: November 18, 2026
Closing time: 12 midnight
Major positions: SPO, PO, APO, RAC Manager and RATECH
Official portal: pres.inecnigeria.org
Presidential/National Assembly election: January 16, 2027
Governorship/State Assembly election: February 6, 2027