The Federal Government of Nigeria has set February 17, 2025, as the final deadline for federal civil servants to complete their identity verification as part of efforts to eliminate ghost workers from the payroll system.

This directive was contained in a memo issued by the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) and obtained by our correspondent on Saturday.

According to the memo, civil servants must verify their identities on the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) portal to continue receiving salaries. Failure to comply could lead to salary stoppages and other sanctions.

As part of the verification requirements, employees must provide their Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), IPPIS number, and salary account number.

"Following the Treasury Circular dated June 27, 2024, and an extension granted on August 16, 2024, the AGF has approved a final extension of the OAF-IPPIS Payroll Validation Portal from February 10 to February 17, 2025," the memo stated.

Reports indicate that many civil servants are scrambling to generate their TIN ahead of the deadline to avoid penalties. The verification portal can be accessed via the OAGF website (www.oagf.gov.ng).

This move aligns with the government's ongoing efforts to sanitize the civil service payroll system and prevent financial leakages caused by fraudulent salary claims.