Federal Government Begins Recruitment of Five New Permanent Secretaries

The Federal Government of Nigeria has officially launched the recruitment process for five new permanent secretaries, marking another significant administrative move under President Bola Tinubu’s ongoing efforts to reposition the public service for efficiency and representation. Notably, three of these new appointments will be dedicated to overseeing recently established federal ministries, indicating the administration’s intent to scale up governance capacity across emerging sectors.

The recruitment process is being coordinated by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, which released a formal memorandum to kickstart the procedure. The memo, signed by the Head of Civil Service, Dr. Didi Walson-Jack, was circulated to all ministries and relevant agencies, detailing the eligibility requirements, documentation processes, and timelines for the selection of candidates.

In the memo, Walson-Jack confirmed that the appointments had received the formal approval of President Tinubu. The document stated:
“Following the approval of Mr. President, the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation is set to commence the process for the appointment of five permanent secretaries. These appointments will fill existing and impending vacancies for Imo State and the Federal Capital Territory, as well as three newly created rotational zonal positions arising from the establishment of additional ministries.”

This development follows President Tinubu’s earlier decision to create additional ministries aimed at addressing critical national challenges and accelerating socioeconomic development. The three zonal positions are to be filled by eligible directors from the North-Central, North-East, and South-East regions. This selection is based on an alphabetical rotation policy designed to ensure fair and inclusive representation across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

According to the guidelines provided in the memo, only directors currently serving in the mainstream Federal Civil Service on Grade Level 17 are eligible to apply. Furthermore, candidates must have been confirmed as legitimate federal staff on the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) and must have held the rank of director for no less than two years.

In addition to service length and verification requirements, the eligibility criteria emphasize the need for candidates to demonstrate that they are not close to statutory retirement. Only those who are not due for retirement on or before December 31, 2026, will be considered. This requirement ensures that the selected individuals will have sufficient time to contribute meaningfully to governance at the highest levels of the civil service.

Indigeneship also plays a key role in the selection process. Applicants must submit valid documentation proving they are bona fide indigenes of the state or geopolitical zone where the vacancy exists. For female candidates, the memo made it clear that indigeneship through marriage is not acceptable—a long-standing rule in federal civil service recruitment intended to maintain equitable representation for all states.

The circular also mandates that serving permanent secretaries must certify in their forwarding letters that the applicants have no pending disciplinary cases or unresolved issues with their ministries or agencies. This step, the memo notes, is crucial to upholding the integrity and ethical standards expected at the highest level of civil service.

All applications must include comprehensive documentation. Specifically, ministries are to submit evidence showing compliance with the eligibility requirements, a complete list of eligible directors on Grade Level 17, the confidential and personal files of all candidates, and at least two copies of each applicant’s curriculum vitae. Additionally, a detailed brief about each candidate must be submitted both in hard copy and electronically using a format provided by the Career Management Office.

The documents are to be submitted to the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Career Management Office, located at the Federal Secretariat Complex in Abuja, no later than 4:00 pm on Tuesday, August 12, 2025. It is expected that the selection process will move swiftly after this deadline, as the new ministries will require immediate administrative leadership.

President Tinubu’s administration has made civil service reform and appointments a central focus since he assumed office. In less than two years, his government has appointed at least 26 permanent secretaries to fill existing vacancies and support new governance initiatives.

In November 2023, the President swore in eight new permanent secretaries. This was followed by another batch of eight in June 2024. In December of the same year, another group of eight permanent secretaries were appointed from among senior directors in the federal service. Most recently, in March 2025, two new permanent secretaries were added to the federal civil service leadership cadre.

This latest round of appointments further demonstrates the administration’s strategy to refresh the leadership of the federal bureaucracy with competent, experienced, and regionally representative individuals. The process, anchored by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, also highlights the continued emphasis on transparency, eligibility compliance, and merit-based selection.

By establishing new ministries and appointing the necessary leadership, the Tinubu administration appears to be laying the groundwork for long-term institutional reforms. These efforts come at a time when many Nigerians are demanding better governance, faster service delivery, and more accountability from public institutions.

As the application and screening processes unfold in the coming weeks, attention will be focused on how the selection committee ensures that only the most qualified, ethical, and regionally representative candidates are appointed. The eventual permanent secretaries will not only oversee crucial ministerial operations but will also serve as policy anchors within the federal civil service, playing critical roles in shaping Nigeria’s development trajectory.