Race for Nigeria’s Next Accountant-General Begins: Who Will Take the Helm?

By Achimi Muktar

A high-stakes selection process is underway as the Federal Government moves to appoint a new Accountant-General of the Federation and permanent secretaries for key positions in the civil service. With top contenders from the nation’s bureaucracy vying for the prestigious roles, the process promises to be a rigorous test of competence, integrity, and experience.

The search for a new Accountant-General follows the impending retirement of the current officeholder in March 2025. The Federal Government has also announced vacancies for permanent secretaries in Oyo State and the North-West geopolitical zone, creating opportunities for top-ranking civil servants to climb the career ladder.

Mrs. Didi Walson-Jack, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), confirmed the development in a statement released in Abuja on Monday. She outlined a structured, multi-tiered selection process, emphasizing that President Bola Tinubu has approved strict eligibility criteria to ensure only the best candidates emerge victorious.

The process will kick off with a written examination conducted by a top Federal Government security agency, with serving and retired permanent secretaries setting and marking the questions.

To ensure transparency, the exercise will be closely monitored by observers from:

Civil society organizations

Private sector representatives

Professional bodies

The Department of State Services (DSS)

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC)

A Committee of Permanent Secretaries will oversee a thorough screening of candidates, with additional disciplinary and verification checks conducted by the Accountant-General’s office.

Only serving Grade Level 17 officers in the Federal Civil Service can participate. Eligible candidates must:

Have held their current positions for at least two years

Be cleared by their respective permanent secretaries and the Accountant-General

Undergo a rigorous vetting process to ensure they are not facing disciplinary actions

The Career Management Office (CMO) in the Office of the HCSF will generate a final list of eligible candidates before the final selection phase.

In a related development, the Federal Government has set February 17, 2025, as the deadline for civil servants to validate their identities on the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS). Failure to complete this process could result in salary suspension.

Employees must visit the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation’s website (www.oagf.gov.ng) to access the validation portal. Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) have been urged to enforce compliance to avoid payroll disruptions.

Meanwhile, the Federal Civil Service Commission recently opened recruitment for over 70 positions across various MDAs, but many applicants have encountered technical issues accessing the application portal. Errors such as “502 Bad Gateway” and “This site can’t be reached” have frustrated job seekers, raising concerns about the efficiency of the recruitment process.

With the selection process officially underway, who will emerge as Nigeria’s next financial gatekeeper? Will the rigorous screening process lead to credible and competent leadership, or will it be marred by bureaucratic bottlenecks?

As civil servants scramble to secure their positions and promotions, all eyes remain on the Federal Government’s next move.