2027 polls: How to apply for INEC ad hoc staff recruitment

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has launched its online portal for the recruitment of ad hoc staff to support the 2027 general elections in Nigeria. Ad hoc staff are temporary personnel hired, trained, and deployed for specific elections, with INEC anticipating to deploy approximately 1.4 million across more than 176,000 polling units nationwide.

The recruitment covers several categories, including Supervisory Presiding Officers (SPOs), Presiding Officers (POs), Assistant Presiding Officers (APOs), Registration Area Centre Managers (RAC Managers), and Registration Area Technical Support personnel (RATECH).

Interested applicants can access the application process through INEC's official website, INECPRES portal, or the web version of the portal. Eligibility varies based on the position, applicant's institution, employment status, and educational background. Eligible candidates include serving NYSC members, former NYSC members meeting specific conditions, students from Federal and State tertiary institutions, eligible government employees, permanent staff of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, qualified INEC personnel, ICT personnel, and personnel connected with institutions hosting Registration Area Centres.

The recruitment process begins at 8 am on Friday, September 18, 2026, and closes at midnight on Wednesday, November 18, 2026. Applicants are required to carefully review the eligibility criteria and requirements for their chosen position before applying. INEC's IT Service Management team offers a 24-hour helpdesk to assist with any questions or concerns through the 0700-CALL-INEC number or email [email protected].