By George Ozalla
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has officially commenced the construction of a new headquarters annex building for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja. This development marks a significant milestone in addressing the commission’s longstanding office space challenges.
The current INEC headquarters, commissioned in December 1997, was designed to accommodate eight commission members, 10 departments, and approximately 500 staff members. However, the commission has experienced substantial growth over the years, now comprising 20 full-time members, 22 departments, and over 1,000 staff members. This expansion has resulted in severe congestion, with all facilities, including offices and meeting rooms, being overstretched.
The new annex building will feature offices, meeting and conference rooms, a 1,000-seat auditorium, and IT facilities such as the election monitoring and support center. It will also house a museum where Nigeria’s election history will be preserved, both in digital and physical formats — especially for students and visitors.
The new headquarters complex is expected to improve INEC’s work environment and help the commission serve Nigerians better as it continues to manage elections across the country. INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for his support and noted that the project would alleviate the commission’s space constraints. He thanked the Deputy Senate President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the FCT Minister, members of the National Assembly, political party leaders, and other stakeholders for their support.
