The Federal Government has tightened rules governing the deployment and redeployment of civil servants across Ministries, Departments and Agencies as investigations into fake government agencies and personnel control failures intensify.

The directive was issued by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation in a circular dated August 24, 2026, with reference number HCSF/3065/V.I/275.

The OHCSF directed MDAs not to internally redeploy officers posted to them from recognised professional pools without prior approval from the relevant posting authorities.

The circular was addressed to the Chief of Staff to the President, ministers, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, permanent secretaries, service chiefs, the Inspector-General of Police and heads of major Federal Government institutions and agencies.

According to the OHCSF, some MDAs had continued to move officers posted from professional pools without obtaining the required approval.

The office said the practice violated an earlier January 2, 2025 circular prohibiting the internal redeployment of pool officers within MDAs.

Under the latest directive, permanent secretaries may deploy or redeploy officers on their respective MDAs’ local staff establishments where their services are required.

However, officers posted by the OHCSF or other recognised professional pools are expected to remain in the offices, departments, divisions, units or sections specified in their posting instructions.

Such officers cannot be internally redeployed without prior approval from the relevant posting authority.

The directive allows an exception for officers on Grade Levels 07 to 14 who are posted to fill departmental vacancies. They may be deployed to divisions, units or sections where vacancies exist, provided the move remains within their respective professional pools or cadres.

Where operational circumstances require a change to an officer’s posting, the matter must be referred to the appropriate posting authority for review and approval.

The OHCSF concluded the circular with a directive for strict compliance.

Link to fake agency investigations

The new restrictions come as the administration of President Bola Tinubu steps up investigations into purported government agencies, ghost workers and weaknesses in personnel and institutional controls.

On August 28, Tinubu approved a comprehensive forensic audit of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System, Federal Government agencies, ministries and their internal controls.

The Presidency said the audit followed an August 19 Federal Executive Council resolution concerning findings by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission on fake agencies, ghost workers and other control failures.

The exercise will examine how fictitious or ineligible persons were enrolled on government systems, alongside identity, biometric and bank-account controls.

It will also establish a definitive inventory of Federal Government agencies and related bodies and verify their legal status, official recognition, budgetary consideration, office facilities and access to government systems.

The audit is expected to examine the relationship between IPPIS and other government platforms, including the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System, Remita, the Treasury Single Account and Sub-Treasury Single Account.

The Presidency said the exercise would help strengthen government systems, close loopholes, improve data verification and ensure that only properly constituted entities and eligible personnel have access to government resources.

The latest OHCSF directive does not explicitly state that it was issued because of the fake-agency investigations. However, it reinforces the government’s focus on establishing clear lines of authority over the posting, deployment and supervision of civil servants.

Professional pools affected

The circular listed several recognised professional pools managed by different government institutions.

The OHCSF manages Administrative Officers, Executive Officers (General), Store Officers, Stock Verifier Officers, Confidential Secretaries, System/Programme Analysts, Statistical/Data Processing Officers and Library Officers.

The Federal Ministry of Justice manages State Counsels, while the Bureau of Public Procurement oversees Procurement Officers.

The Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation manages Information, Press and Public Relations Officers.

The Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation manages Account Officers and Executive Officers (Accounts), while the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation manages Resident Auditors.

The directive effectively makes the relevant professional pool authorities responsible for approving movements involving officers posted under their respective establishments.

The development follows recent discoveries involving purported government bodies, including the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council and the National Brands Development and Made in Nigeria Special Project Office.

The ICPC had found that the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council had no legal basis and that an appointment letter used by its promoter was allegedly forged.

The commission later announced the discovery of another purported Federal Government agency and alleged that its promoter had suspected links to senior public servants in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

Following the revelations, Tinubu ordered the arrest of the promoter and the suspension of three permanent secretaries in the OSGF.

The Federal Government’s wider forensic audit is expected to examine the systemic weaknesses that allowed purported agencies and individuals to gain access to government structures and resources.