The Federal Government has clarified that the recruitment waiver process for federal tertiary institutions remains in force, dismissing reports suggesting that the procedure has been abolished.
The Federal Ministry of Education gave the clarification in a statement issued on Monday by its Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade.
The ministry said the clarification became necessary following what it described as erroneous impressions 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.
It explained that the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) is responsible for approving establishment waivers for federal institutions, while requests for recruitment waivers are considered and approved by a committee chaired by the Minister of Education.
According to the ministry, the OHCSF also determines authorised staff establishments and assesses the manpower requirements of federal institutions.
It added that the office is represented on the waiver committee, which evaluates the staffing needs of tertiary institutions against their approved establishments to determine whether additional recruitment is justified.
The ministry emphasised that the existing recruitment waiver procedure, which has been in operation for several years, remains unchanged.
It said the process was designed to promote greater institutional efficiency and autonomy, adding that all requests for recruitment waivers must continue to comply strictly with the established approval procedures.
The ministry reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, due process and accountability in managing human resources across federal tertiary institutions.
It said the policy was in line with the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI) and President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
