The Nigerian government, under President Bola Tinubu, has started the process of appointing a new Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF) and two Permanent Secretaries.
This follows approval from the president, and the process aims to ensure that only qualified, credible, and competent individuals are selected.
The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, explained that the process will be based on a detailed, multi-level evaluation system, designed to be transparent and merit-driven.
This system has been approved by the president to guarantee fairness in selecting the best candidates.
The two Permanent Secretary positions are available because of recent retirements—one from Oyo State and another soon to be vacant in the North-West geopolitical zone.
The position of Accountant-General will also become vacant when the current AGF, Dr. Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein, retires in March 2025.
In December 2024, there was some confusion over the appointment of the new AGF. Initially, Shamseldeen Babatunde Ogunjimi was announced as the new AGF, but later, the president decided that Dr. Madein would stay in office until March 2025.
This decision followed tensions related to the announcement and concerns about a lack of representation for northerners in the process.
Now, the government has opened the appointment process to all Grade Level 17 officers in the Federal Civil Service who have held their current positions for at least two years and are interested in applying.
Candidates must meet several eligibility requirements, including confirmation by their Permanent Secretaries and the AGF to ensure they are not under investigation for any disciplinary issues.
The selection process will include multiple steps:
- A screening committee of Permanent Secretaries, monitored by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Department of State Services (DSS).
- Asset declarations with the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).
- Anti-corruption checks with the DSS, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and ICPC.
- A written exam overseen by federal security agencies and various organizations.
- A proficiency test in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, watched by ICPC and DSS.
The final decision on the appointments will be made by President Bola Tinubu, who will base his choices on how well candidates perform through all stages of the evaluation process.
