GUIDELINES FOR MEDIA ACCREDITATION FOR THE 2026 FCT AREA COUNCIL ELECTION


  1. INTRODUCTION

    In line with the Commission’s policy to ensure the safety of all personnel on Election Day, including media practitioners, journalists from recognised media organisations are required to be duly accredited to cover the conduct of elections.

    Accordingly, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has approved the following guidelines for journalists and media organisations intending to cover the 2026 FCT Area Council Election.

  2. APPLICATION FOR ACCREDITATION

    Media organisations wishing to deploy journalists to cover the 2026 FCT Area Council Election shall apply online through the Commission’s accreditation portal at https://imap.inecnigeria.org.

    Each media organisation shall upload a comprehensive list of all personnel it intends to deploy for election coverage on the portal.

    The accreditation portal will open on Monday, 15th December 2025 and close on Sunday, 8th February 2026.

  3. LIAISON PERSONNEL

    For the purpose of smooth coordination of the accreditation process, media organisations are required to designate a liaison officer or contact person. The liaison officer shall be responsible for completing and submitting accreditation forms online on behalf of the organisation’s nominated staff, where applicable.

  4. DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR ACCREDITATION

    The following documents shall be required for accreditation:

    1. A duly signed cover letter from the media organisation, uploaded by the liaison officer, containing the list, names, and assigned duties of all personnel to be deployed (e.g. reporter, camera operator, translator, driver, etc.).

    2. Passport photographs and valid work identification cards of all nominated personnel.

    3. Online media organisations may be required to provide their website addresses, along with evidence of recent activity, such as regular posts within the 30 days preceding the application date.

    4. Print media organisations may be required to scan and upload at least three recent editions of their publications.

  5. SUBMISSION OF DOCUMENTS

    All required documents shall be submitted in soft copy through the designated online portal. Hard copy submissions will not be accepted.

  6. DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS

    Submission of all applications and supporting documents for accreditation for the 2026 FCT Area Council Election shall close at midnight (12:00 a.m.) on Sunday, 8th February 2026.

    Note: Late submissions will not be entertained, as the portal will automatically shut down at the expiration of the submission period.

  7. COLLECTION OF ACCREDITATION TAGS

    Media organisations whose applications are successful shall collect their media accreditation tags at:

    INEC Headquarters (Annex)

    No. 10 Blantyre Street,
    Wuse II, Abuja.

    The Commission reserves the right to change the venue for the issuance of accreditation tags if the need arises.

    Dates for Collection of Accreditation Tags:

    Collection of media accreditation tags shall take place from Monday, 16th to Thursday, 19th February 2026, between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. daily, at the designated venue.

  8. ACCESS TO COLLATION CENTRES

    While access to polling units is open to all accredited journalists covering the election, access to collation centres shall be restricted due to space and safety considerations. INEC will permit:

    • One accredited representative per radio station
    • Two accredited representatives per television station (reporter and cameraman)
    • Two accredited representatives per newspaper organisation (reporter and cameraman)

  9. RESPONSIBILITIES OF ACCREDITED JOURNALISTS

    Accredited journalists and allied personnel are entitled to cover all election procedures within the jurisdictions for which they are accredited. They are expected to strictly adhere to all applicable laws, INEC Regulations and Guidelines, lawful directives of election officials, relevant regulatory bodies, and the ethical standards of the journalism profession.

  10. JOURNALISTS ARE TO:

    1. Display their INEC-issued identification tags prominently at all times on Election Day.
    2. Be present at polling units from the commencement of polls to cover all stages of the process, including voter accreditation, voting, counting of ballot papers, and the pasting of results, provided such coverage does not interfere with the polling process or compromise the secrecy of the vote.
    3. Move within polling units in a manner that does not obstruct voting or the work of election officials, and conduct interviews within the polling environment without disrupting the process.
    4. Cover the deployment of sensitive materials and the retrieval of used and unused sensitive materials after the conclusion of polling.

  11. JOURNALISTS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO:

    1. Film or photograph any individual within the polling area without his or her consent.
    2. Film or photograph a voter while marking a ballot paper.
    3. Capture images, footage, or audio that reveal a voter’s personal details.
    4. Film, photograph, copy, or otherwise reproduce the Register of Voters, voter cards, or any document that infringes on voter privacy.
    5. Handle any polling materials.

  12. LINE OF AUTHORITY AND COMPLIANCE WITH LAWFUL DIRECTIVES

    Accredited journalists, like all other persons within the polling environment, shall be subject to the lawful directives of the Presiding Officer.

    INEC reserves the right to withdraw or revoke the accreditation of any journalist who defies lawful instructions, violates INEC regulations, or breaches any law, guideline, or professional code governing journalistic practice.

NOTE:

  1. INEC reserves the right to withhold accreditation from any organisation or journalist whose professional identity cannot be verified.
  2. There shall be no manual accreditation.
  3. Only accredited media representatives shall be granted access to polling units, collation centres, and INEC facilities.
  4. Accreditation tags shall serve as valid passes for the FCT Area Council Election scheduled for Saturday, 21st February 2026.
  5. Applications, once submitted, cannot be reversed.

ACCREDITATION PROCESS STEPS

Step 1: Register Organisation

(For fresh applicants only. Returning applicants should log in using their existing email address and password.)

  1. Confirm email verification
  2. Log in to complete organisation profile

Step 2: Application Management

  1. Select the election being applied for
  2. Upload the application letter containing staff names
  3. Indicate the number of proposed staff
  4. Select the location of coverage

Step 3: Personnel Management

(Returning organisations may skip this step unless adding new personnel.)

  1. Add personnel details
  2. Upload personnel work identification
  3. Upload personnel passport photograph

Step 4: Personnel Nomination

(Only approved applications may proceed to this stage.)

Nominate field and collation personnel, where applicable.

Step 5: Submit Application

Click the Finish Nomination button to complete the process.

For technical issues encountered during the accreditation process, please contact:

0708 884 4564 or 0803 286 1058

Signed

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)

INEC: Making Your Vote Count… Consolidating Our Democracy