Mirian Gom 
MINNA, Nigeria – The Niger State Government has ordered the immediate suspension of the employment and engagement of casual workers across all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), warning against violations of civil service recruitment procedures.
The directive was issued in an official circular dated November 7, 2025, and signed by the State Head of Service, Abubakar Sadiq Idris.
The notice was addressed to senior government officials including the Chief of Staff, Secretary to the State Government, all Permanent Secretaries, and the Clerk of the State House of Assembly.
The government expressed concern over what it described as the increasing number of requests from MDAs seeking to convert casual workers to permanent and pensionable staff, despite the ongoing centralized recruitment exercise being conducted by the Civil Service Commission.
“The Office of the Head of Service has noticed with great concern the barrage of applications for conversion of casual workers to permanent and pensionable staff by some MDAs despite the ongoing recruitment exercise,” the circular stated.
Consequently, all MDAs have been directed to halt the employment of new casual staff immediately.
The circular further clarified that any MDA wishing to retain existing casual workers must ensure they are paid at least the minimum wage, while functions such as cleaning, security, and driving should be fully outsourced to contractors.
Idris warned that any defiance of the directive would result in disciplinary action in line with the Civil Service Rules.
He also instructed Permanent Secretaries and heads of agencies to ensure widespread circulation and strict compliance, emphasising that the state aims to restore transparency, standardization, and central oversight in public sector staffing.
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Oluwatobi Adu 
Chukwu Obinna 
Korede Abdullah 