ABUJA, Nigeria – Nigeria has launched a nationwide civil service personnel audit aimed at eliminating ghost workers and modernising the public sector.
The Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF) announced the exercise on Wednesday.
Under the new system, every civil servant’s record will be linked to their Bank Verification Number (BVN) and National Identification Number (NIN), creating a digital database of the entire workforce.
“This audit will eliminate ghost workers, resolve discrepancies, and give us a precise overview of the workforce,” said Head of Service, Mrs. Didi Walson-Jack, in a statement.
She added that the initiative would also identify skills gaps in areas such as ICT, project management, and data analysis.
The audit is being overseen by a steering committee comprising permanent secretaries, the Accountant-General of the Federation, the Budget Office, and independent consultants, ensuring what Walson-Jack described as “transparency, rigour and credibility.”
Officials say the initiative is a central plank of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to reform and strengthen the civil service
