The Federal Government has ordered all Federal Tertiary Institutions across Nigeria to publicly advertise all job vacancies going forward.
This directive was contained in an official statement released by Boriowo Folasade, Director of Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Education.
The Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, issued the directive to promote transparency, equity, and open competition in the recruitment process of federal tertiary institutions.
According to the Ministry, institutions must now publish available positions in widely accessible platforms to ensure equal access to all qualified Nigerians.
“The Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, has directed all Federal Tertiary institutions that have been granted waivers to recruit staff to publicly advertise the available vacancies in at least one national daily newspaper, on their respective websites, and in other relevant academic and professional journals,” the statement read.
Waivers still stand
The policy follows the recruitment waivers earlier granted to federal institutions based on manpower needs submitted to the Ministry.
“This follows the waivers granted to Federal Tertiary Institutions based on submissions made by these institutions concerning their manpower requirements, in line with the Ministry’s commitment to enhancing the capacity of our higher education institutions.”
The Ministry also issued a stern reminder to institutions to submit their recruitment plans to the Committee on Waiver and Recruitment for prior review. It stressed that failure to comply will attract disciplinary actions.
“The Ministry has put in place adequate mechanisms to ensure compliance and will not hesitate to apply sanctions against any institution that fails to adhere to this directive,” they stated.
Federal Tertiary Institutions are also reminded to submit all recruitment needs to the Ministry for review by the Committee on Waiver and Recruitment.
What you should know
Historically, federal tertiary institutions in Nigeria faced bureaucratic hurdles in staff recruitment. They were required to seek waivers from the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation, a process that often led to delays and administrative bottlenecks.
- This requirement was part of broader civil service regulations designed to control public sector employment.
- During the 67th National Council on Education Meeting in December 2023, former Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, announced the removal of the waiver requirement allowing federal government-owned tertiary institutions—including universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and monotechnics—to recruit staff without obtaining prior waivers from the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation.
This decision aimed to address chronic staff shortages and enhance operational efficiency within these institutions.
