President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, performed the groundbreaking ceremony of the new annex building of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja. The new complex, located on Zambezi Crescent, is intended to complement the commission’s overstretched headquarters and accommodate its expanding operations.
Welcoming the President to the event, the INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, expressed appreciation for the President’s presence and support. He noted that the development marks a significant milestone in addressing longstanding infrastructural challenges faced by the electoral body.
“For a long time, the Commission has been grappling with inadequate office accommodation. Our present national headquarters, commissioned in December 1997, is now severely congested,” Professor Yakubu said.
Originally designed to serve eight Commission members, 10 departments, and approximately 500 staff, INEC’s existing headquarters now struggles to contain its significantly expanded structure. Today, the commission consists of 13 full-time members—including a Chairman and 12 National Commissioners—alongside 22 departments and 1,048 personnel.
The Chairman explained that the growth in staff strength and responsibilities has rendered existing facilities overstretched. “Every facility is now under pressure—from offices to meeting rooms—due to the increase in staff strength and our broader operational scope,” he noted.
The new annex building is expected to ease these pressures, provide modern workspaces, and better position INEC to fulfil its constitutional mandate more efficiently. The design of the proposed structure includes state-of-the-art facilities tailored to the evolving needs of the electoral body.
Stakeholders at the event described the project as a timely response to the Commission’s infrastructural demands and a bold step toward institutional capacity building within the electoral system.
INEC continues to pursue reforms aimed at strengthening the integrity of Nigeria’s democratic process, and this new development represents part of its long-term strategy to build institutional resilience.
As construction commences, expectations are high that the annex will improve operational efficiency, enhance inter-departmental collaboration, and provide a conducive environment for the commission’s expanding team.
