President Bola Ahmed Tinubu today, 17 June 2025 led the groundbreaking ceremony for the new headquarters annex building of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja, marking a major step toward solving the Commission’s long-standing office space problem.
In his speech, INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, expressed appreciation to the President for attending the event in person.
He noted that the new building will help reduce the pressure on the current headquarters, which has become overcrowded over the years.
“We are glad that the president found time to personally perform the groundbreaking ceremony of the INEC annex building. For a long time, the commission has faced serious challenges with space,” Yakubu said.
The current INEC headquarters, opened in December 1997, was designed for only eight commission members, 10 departments, and about 500 staff. But over the years, the commission has grown. Today, it has 13 full-time members, 22 departments, and over 1,000 staff.
“Every part of the building is now overstretched — offices, meeting rooms, and spaces for important engagements. We even hold general staff meetings outside the office,” he explained.
To ease the pressure, INEC had to rent two buildings in Wuse 2, but the need for a permanent solution remained. According to Prof. Yakubu, help came last year when the Ministry of the Federal Capital Territory stepped in to support the construction of the new annex.
He acknowledged the role of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), which has supported the commission in the past. In 1991, when INEC moved its headquarters from Lagos to Abuja, the FCDA provided office space in Garki. When that space became too small, they also built the current headquarters.
The new annex building, now under construction, will include 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.
Yakubu stressed that the new annex will not replace the current headquarters but will serve as a support facility.
“This is a very special moment for me personally. After nearly 10 years of trying, the project is finally taking off,” he said.
He thanked President Tinubu for making it happen and also appreciated 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.
“May God continue to bless our efforts, I thank you all” he concluded.
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.
