Education
FG Denies Abolishing Recruitment Waivers for Federal Universities, Polytechnics
The Federal Ministry of Education has refuted reports suggesting that the recruitment waiver process for Federal Tertiary Institutions has been abolished, clarifying that the established approval framework remains fully operational.
The clarification was issued in a press release dated Monday, October 19, 2026, signed by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, following misinterpretations arising from a speech delivered by the representative of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the maiden convocation ceremony of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Azare, on October 17, 2026.
To clear up public misconceptions, the Ministry outlined the legal and administrative procedure governing new appointments across federal universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education:
Establishment Waivers: The Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) retains sole authority for approving establishment waivers, assessing authorized staff establishments, and determining overall manpower requirements.
Recruitment Waiver Requests: Specific requests to recruit staff are evaluated and approved by a dedicated Waiver Committee chaired by the Honourable Minister of Education. The OHCSF is also represented on this committee to cross-check staffing needs against approved cadre limits.
The Ministry emphasized that the existing waiver protocol—introduced to balance institutional autonomy with prudent human resource management—must be strictly adhered to by all federal tertiary institutions.
Reaffirming its commitment to transparency and accountability under the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI) and President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the Ministry stated that no recruitment exercise should be conducted without following the established approval channels.
