The Federal Government has tightened control over the deployment and redeployment of civil servants across Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
The Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation directed MDAs to stop moving officers from recognised professional pools without approval from the relevant posting authorities.
The directive comes as the President Bola Tinubu administration intensifies its crackdown on fake government agencies, ghost workers and weaknesses in personnel management.
FG restricts redeployment of pool officers
The OHCSF issued the directive in a circular dated August 24, 2026, with reference number HCSF/3065/V.I/275.
The circular warned MDAs against moving officers from recognised professional pools without approval. Such officers must remain in the offices, departments, divisions, units or sections listed in their posting instructions.
The OHCSF said some MDAs had continued to ignore the existing rule. It noted that the practice violated an earlier circular issued on January 2, 2025.
That circular prohibited the internal redeployment of professional pool officers within MDAs.
The latest directive also clarified the powers of permanent secretaries. They may deploy or redeploy officers on their local staff establishment when their services are needed elsewhere within the MDA.
However, different rules apply to officers posted through the OHCSF or another recognised professional pool.
Such officers cannot move internally without approval from the authority that handled their posting.
Some officers exempted from restriction
The OHCSF made an exception for officers on Grade Levels 07 to 14 who fill vacancies within departments.
These officers may move to divisions, units or sections where vacancies exist. However, the new deployment must remain within their professional pool or cadre.
The circular also provides a procedure for situations that require a change in posting.
Where operational needs make such a move necessary, the MDA must refer the matter to the appropriate posting authority for review and approval.
The OHCSF ended the directive with a clear instruction to all affected authorities: “Please ensure strict compliance.”
Directive comes amid fake agency probe
The new rule comes at a sensitive time for the Federal Civil Service. The Federal Government is currently investigating how purported government bodies gained access to official structures and resources.
On August 28, President Tinubu approved a comprehensive forensic audit of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System, Federal Government agencies, ministries and their internal controls.
The audit followed an August 19 Federal Executive Council resolution. That resolution considered findings from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission on fake agencies, ghost workers and other control failures.
The government will examine how fictitious or ineligible persons entered its systems. It will also review identity checks, biometric authentication and bank-account controls.
In addition, the audit will establish a definitive list of Federal Government agencies, departments, commissions, councils and parastatals.
Officials will then verify the legal basis of each organisation. They will also examine how the bodies obtained official recognition, budgetary consideration, office facilities and access to government systems.
FG identifies recognised professional pools
The OHCSF circular also lists the recognised professional pools and the authorities responsible for managing them. The OHCSF manages several cadres, including Administrative Officers, Executive Officers, Store Officers, Confidential Secretaries, System and Programme Analysts and Statistical/Data Processing Officers.
The Federal Ministry of Justice manages the State Counsel pool. Similarly, the Bureau of Public Procurement manages Procurement Officers.
Meanwhile, the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation oversees Information, Press and Public Relations Officers. The Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation manages Account Officers and Executive Officers in the Accounts cadre. The Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation, on the other hand, manages Resident Auditors.
The circular also recognises other professional pools that have received proper government approval.
Fake agency discoveries raise concerns
The latest directive follows a series of revelations involving purported government agencies. In July, President Tinubu ordered the ICPC to investigate the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council. The Presidency had earlier declared that the organisation was fictitious and had never been established by the Federal Government.
The ICPC later found that the purported council had no legal basis. It also found that the appointment letter used by its promoter was forged. The controversy widened on August 21. The ICPC announced the discovery of another purported Federal Government agency called the National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office.
The commission alleged that George Nwabueze promoted the organisation. It also raised concerns about the suspected involvement of senior public servants in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. Following the development, Tinubu ordered Nwabueze’s arrest and suspended three permanent secretaries in the OSGF.
Audit to examine government systems
The Federal Government’s forensic audit will therefore examine more than individual cases of fraud. The Presidency said the exercise would review the links between IPPIS and other government platforms. These include the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System, Remita, the Treasury Single Account and the Sub-Treasury Single Account.
The audit will also determine whether the identified weaknesses came from system defects, process failures, poor separation of duties or deliberate attempts to bypass existing controls.
According to the Presidency, the exercise will strengthen government systems, improve data verification and reconciliation and reinforce accountability. It will also ensure that only legally recognised entities and eligible personnel gain access to government resources. Against this backdrop, the OHCSF’s latest directive adds another layer of control over civil service postings.
The new rule makes the relevant professional pool authorities responsible for approving internal movements. It also prevents individual officials from moving pool officers at their discretion.
Although the circular does not directly link the restriction to the fake-agency investigations, it comes as the Federal Government works to close loopholes exposed by the recent scandals.
