INEC Opens 2027 Election Recruitment Portal, Lists Five Categories of Ad-Hoc Staff Needed

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has opened its online recruitment portal for Nigerians seeking to serve as ad-hoc personnel during the 2027 General Elections.

The recruitment exercise is being conducted through the commission’s Personnel Recruitment System and is expected to provide temporary electoral personnel for various responsibilities during the elections. According to the official INEC portal, applications will remain open until midnight on November 18, 2026.

INEC has listed five categories of election personnel for the exercise: Supervisory Presiding Officers (SPOs), Registration Area Centre (RAC) Managers, Registration Area Technical Support (RATECH) personnel, Presiding Officers (POs), and Assistant Presiding Officers (APOs).

For the Supervisory Presiding Officer category, eligible applicants include public or civil servants on Grade Level 10 to 14, as well as qualifying INEC personnel not assigned to other duties.

The RAC Manager position is intended for heads of schools or staff members on Grade Level 07 and above in institutions or public buildings designated to host Registration Area Centres.

For technical responsibilities, INEC requires applicants for the RATECH category to have an information technology background. The commission also identifies suitable INEC ICT personnel who are not engaged in other duties as eligible for the technical-support role.

The Presiding Officer and Assistant Presiding Officer categories are open to specified groups, including serving National Youth Service Corps members, penultimate students of federal or state tertiary institutions with relevant IT knowledge, certain permanent staff of ministries, departments and agencies, eligible INEC personnel, and former corps members from 2024, subject to the applicable requirements.

INEC has also stated that applicants must satisfy political neutrality and residency conditions. The official portal says applicants must not be members of political parties or have demonstrated or expressed support for a candidate or political party. Except for RATECH applicants, candidates are generally required to reside in the state selected during registration.

The commission has urged prospective applicants to use its official recruitment platform and avoid fraudulent websites or individuals requesting payment in exchange for recruitment. The registration portal currently identifies November 18, 2026, as the closing date for applications.

The recruitment comes as INEC continues preparations for the 2027 General Elections, for which the commission has been developing systems and processes for the recruitment and deployment of temporary election personnel across Nigeria.

Prospective applicants are advised to carefully review the eligibility requirements for their preferred category before submitting their applications, as eligibility differs according to the role. The official INEC portal provides the application process, eligibility information and registration interface.

INEC has opened its 2027 General Election recruitment portal for ad-hoc personnel, listing five categories of election staff and setting November 18, 2026, as the application deadline.