Every election in Nigeria, from the presidential contest that determines who leads Africa’s largest democracy to state governorship elections and area council polls, depends on thousands of temporary election workers deployed to manage polling units, accredit voters, supervise processes, and transmit results. These are INEC’s ad-hoc staff, and they are the human infrastructure on which every election outcome rests.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recruits ad hoc staff for each election via the INECPRES portal at pres.inecnigeria.org .ike permanent INEC employment, ad-hoc service is election-specific, geographically tied, paid through direct bank transfers, and open to a wide range of Nigerian students, corps members, civil servants, and ICT professionals.

How the INEC Ad-Hoc System Works: What Every Applicant Must Understand

The INEC ad-hoc staff system has several important characteristics that distinguish it from a typical government job:

• It is election-specific: Every exercise is tied to a specific election, a governorship, federal, by-election, or area council election. There is no permanent INEC ad-hoc cadre. Your engagement ends when the election is concluded.
• It is needs-based: INEC only opens the portal when an election is approaching. There is no fixed annual recruitment date. The portal opens approximately 6 to 8 weeks before each election and closes roughly 4 weeks before election day.
• It is geographically restricted: you must typically be a resident of, or connected to, the state or local government area where the election is being held. C deploys ad hoc staff locally.
• It is paid: Ad-hoc staff receive allowances for training attendance and election day service, paid directly into their registered bank accounts within weeks of the election.
• BVABVAS competence is required: Since 2023, all Presiding Officers and their assistants must be able to operate the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS). INEC provides mandatory training before each election. Attendance at training is compulsory; missing training results in no deployment on election day. Existing accounts remain active: If you registered on INECPRES for any election since 2019, your account is still valid. your existing email and password. Do not create a duplicate account.

The Five INEC Ad-Hoc Staff Positions Full Breakdown

INEC recruits into five distinct positions for each election. Each has different responsibilities, different eligibility requirements, and different allowance rates. Applying for the correct position is the foundation of a successful INEC application, and eligibility is verified during training.

1. Presiding Officer (PO)

The Presiding Officer is responsible for a single polling unit. The  most responsible ad-hoc position attracts the highest allowance. The PO manages the entire voting process at their unit, setting up and operating the BVAS machine, accrediting voters biometrically, issuing ballot papers, supervising the vote, counting results, completing Form EC8A (the result sheet), and transmitting results electronically through the IReV portal.

2. Assistant Presiding Officer (APO I, II, and III)

Assistant Presiding Officers support the Presiding Officer at the polling unit. They assist with voter accreditation, issue ballot papers, manage queues, and step in to manage operations if the PO is temporarily unavailable. There are typically 1 to 3 APOs per polling unit, depending on the size of the voter register. ory Presiding Officer (SPO)

The Supervisory Presiding Officer oversees a group of polling units within a registration area. SPOs move between units to monitor the voting process, resolve operational issues, and ensure compliance with electoral guidelines. They report to the RACM and serve as the immediate supervisory link between polling units and the registration area coordination level.

4. Registration Area Center Manager (RACM)

The RACM is the senior INEC representative at the Registration Area Center, the coordination point for a cluster of polling units within a ward. The RACM oversees all polling unit operations, manages the distribution of materials before election day, coordinates with the INEC LGA office, and receives and compiles result sheets from Presiding Officers after voting concludes. an entry-level position.

5. Registration Area Technician (RATECH)

The Registration Area Technician is responsible for all technical and ICT operations at the Registration Area Center. RATECHs ensurRATECHs ensure BVAS machines function properly across their assigned polling units, troubleshoot technical failures on election day, support Presiding Officers with device issues, and manage connectivity and data transmission for the IReV results upload portal. Competence is essential.

General Requirements for All INEC Ad-Hoc Staff Positions

• Nigerian citizenship: All applicants must be Nigerian citizens
• Political neutrality: Must NOT be a member of any political party, must not have expressed open support for any candidate or party
• No criminal record
• Residency: Must reside in or be connected to the state or LGA where the election is being held. Deployment is based on your registered state of residence.
• Computer literacy: Basic computer skills required for PO, APO, RATECH; strong ICT skills required specifically for RATECH
• Communication skills: Good communication and writing skills across all roles
• Single application: Only one application per exercise; multiple submissions result in automatic disqualification.

Step-by-Step Registration Guide INECPRES Portal

All applications must be submitted through pres.inecnigeria.org. Android users can alternatively use the official app at inecpres-app.com/pres-app.apk. Follow these steps precisely:

1. Visit pres.inecnigeria.org. Check whether the portal is currently open for an ongoing election exercise before proceeding.
2. If you have an existing INECPRES account from any election since 2019, log in with your existing email and password; do not create a new account. Use ‘Forgot Password’ if needed. If you are a new applicant, click Register.
3. Before creating your account, visit the eligibility page on the portal. This page lists the specific requirements for each position for the current exercise. Confirm which position you are eligible for before starting.
4. New applicants: Enter your active email address and create a secure password. Save your login credentials immediately. Verify your email address using the confirmation link sent to your inbox.
5. Complete your profile. Enter your full personal information, including full name, date of birth, gender, state of origin, LGA of residence, contact address, phone number, and email. Ensure your name matches the details associated with your BVN.
6. Upload your passport photograph. It must be recent, with a white background, and must not exceed 5MB.
7. Select the election you are applying for and choose the specific position you are eligible for from the five options.
8. Enter your Student ID number or Staff ID number and your NYSC Call-Up Number where required.
9. Enter your bank account details. This must be your own personal account; allowances cannot be redirected to third-party accounts.
10. Enter referee details. Provide the email addresses and phone numbers for two referees. They may be contacted by INEC to verify your application.
11. Review all sections carefully before submission. Check your name, contact details, position selection, ID numbers, and bank details. Double-check everything; corrections cannot be made after submission.
12. Tick the Attestation box to confirm all information is accurate. Click Submit.
13. Print or save your acknowledgment slip immediately after submission. This is mandatory and will be required during the training and verification stages.

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