By Gabriel Ameh
The Independent National Electoral Commission has announced plans to mobilise over 1.4 million members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to support the conduct of the 2027 general elections across Nigeria.
The Chairman of INEC, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed this on Monday during a courtesy visit to the Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle O. Nafiu, at the NYSC headquarters, Yakubu Gowon House, Abuja.Amupitan described the engagement as more than a formal visit, noting it was an expression of appreciation for the NYSC’s longstanding role in Nigeria’s electoral process.
He stressed that corps members remain central to the credibility and efficiency of elections in the country.
He stated that since 1999, NYSC members have consistently formed the backbone of INEC’s ad hoc workforce, adding that their neutrality, discipline, and technical competence have strengthened public confidence in electoral outcomes.
According to him, “INEC cannot conduct elections in Nigeria without the NYSC,” highlighting the critical role corps members play as Registration Area Officers and Presiding Officers across polling units nationwide.
The INEC Chairman revealed that for the 2023 general elections, about 1.2 million ad hoc staff were deployed, with over 70 percent drawn from NYSC members and student volunteers.
For the 2027 elections, he said INEC will require 1,414,768 ad hoc staff for both the presidential/National Assembly and governorship/state assembly elections scheduled for January 16 and February 6, 2027 respectively.
He also noted that additional corps members will be needed for off-cycle elections, including governorship polls in Ekiti and Osun States, as well as bye-elections across several states.
Amupitan further praised the role of corps members in strengthening Nigeria’s electoral technology system, particularly the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), describing them as digitally skilled and essential to modern electoral operations.
He acknowledged the risks faced by corps members during elections and assured that INEC is working with security agencies and the NYSC to improve safety, welfare, and insurance coverage for all ad hoc staff.Responding, the NYSC Director-General reaffirmed the scheme’s readiness to support INEC, describing corps members as reliable, trainable, and digitally competent manpower.
He noted that the next generation of corps members, largely Gen Z, will further enhance electoral efficiency due to their technological adaptability.He assured INEC of continued collaboration for both general and off-cycle elections, emphasizing the importance of sustained partnership between both institutions in strengthening Nigeria’s democracy.
