The Federal Government has started the process to appoint five new permanent secretaries, including three who will lead newly created ministries.

A recent memo from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service says these positions are open to qualified directors in the Federal Civil Service.

According to the memo, signed by Head of Civil Service Didi Walson-Jack, the appointments will fill vacancies in Imo State, the Federal Capital Territory, and three zonal positions. 

The zonal posts will be filled from three geopolitical zones: North-Central, North-East, and South-East, chosen alphabetically to ensure fairness.

Eligible candidates must be directors on Grade Level 17, confirmed federal staff on the IPPIS portal, and must have served at least two years as directors. They should not be due to retire before December 31, 2026. Female applicants must prove their indigeneship without relying on marriage.

Candidates with ongoing disciplinary issues will not be considered.

Serving permanent secretaries are required to verify that applicants meet all criteria and have no disciplinary cases. They must also submit detailed documents and CVs for all eligible candidates by August 12, 2025.

Since President Bola Tinubu took office, he has appointed 26 permanent secretaries to fill various vacancies, including eight appointments each in November 2023, June 2024, and December 2024, with two more in March 2025.

This latest recruitment drive continues the government’s effort to strengthen leadership across ministries and improve federal civil service management.