The Independent National Electoral Commission has commenced the recruitment of ad hoc personnel who will participate in the 2027 general elections, with about 1.4 million workers expected to be deployed across more than 176,000 polling units nationwide.
The recruitment exercise opened at 8am on Friday, September 18, 2026, through the INEC Portal for Recruitment of Election Staff, known as INECPRES. According to the commission, applications will remain open until midnight on Wednesday, November 18, 2026.
The temporary election personnel will be recruited, trained and deployed to perform specific electoral duties during the 2027 general elections before being disengaged after the exercise.
The ad hoc recruitment covers several categories of election officials, including Supervisory Presiding Officers, Presiding Officers, Assistant Presiding Officers, Registration Area Centre Managers and Registration Area Technical Support personnel.
The 2027 general elections are scheduled to begin with the Presidential and National Assembly elections on January 16, 2027. The Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections are scheduled for February 6, 2027.
Who Can Apply?
INEC said eligibility depends on the position being applied for, as well as the applicant’s educational background, employment status and institutional affiliation.
Potential applicants include serving members of the National Youth Service Corps, qualified 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, ICT professionals and personnel connected with institutions designated to host Registration Area Centres.
For Supervisory Presiding Officer positions, eligible public and civil servants on Grade Levels 10 to 14 may qualify, subject to the specific requirements established by the commission. Serving NYSC members and eligible former corps members are also included under the relevant conditions.
The Presiding Officer and Assistant Presiding Officer categories have separate eligibility requirements, while Registration Area Technical Support positions are targeted at applicants with relevant information and communications technology backgrounds.
How to Apply
Prospective applicants are required to access the INECPRES platform through the commission’s official website and carefully review the eligibility requirements for their preferred position.
Applicants are expected to select the appropriate category, complete their personal, educational and employment information, provide the required supporting details and review all information before submitting their applications.
INEC has also advised applicants to ensure that the information supplied during registration is accurate and complete.
The commission operates a helpdesk to assist applicants experiencing difficulties with the recruitment platform.
The recruitment announcement comes after INEC warned Nigerians in August against a fake online notice claiming that recruitment for the 2027 elections had already commenced. At the time, the commission urged the public not to provide personal information or make payments through unauthorised websites.
With the recruitment now officially underway, prospective applicants have been advised to rely on INEC’s verified communication channels and official platforms rather than links circulated through unverified social media accounts.
The scale of the exercise reflects the logistical demands of conducting elections across Nigeria’s more than 176,000 polling units. The large number of personnel to be recruited will be required to support the administration of the presidential, National Assembly, governorship and State House of Assembly elections.
INEC’s recruitment exercise is therefore expected to form a major part of the commission’s preparations for the 2027 elections, with eligible Nigerians encouraged to check the requirements for their preferred positions and submit their applications before the November 18 deadline.
