By Joshua Tosin Ogunsakin 
The Federal Government has begun the process of appointing five new permanent secretaries, three of whom will head newly established ministries.
According to a memo from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, the positions are open to qualified directors in the Federal Civil Service.
The memo, signed by the Head of the Civil Service, Didi Walson-Jack, stated:
“Following the approval of Mr President, the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation is set to commence the process for the appointment of five permanent secretaries.
“These appointments will fill existing and impending vacancies for Imo State and the Federal Capital Territory, as well as three newly created rotational zonal positions arising from the establishment of additional ministries.
“To ensure equitable representation, the three zonal positions will, in the first instance, be filled by eligible candidates from three geo-political zones, selected based on alphabetical order — the North-Central, North-East, and South-East.”
The memo explained that eligible candidates must be directors on Grade Level 17 in the mainstream Federal Civil Service, have been verified on the IPPIS portal as confirmed staff members of the Federal Government, and must have served for at least two years as directors.
Applicants must not be due for retirement on or before December 31, 2026, and must provide proof of indigeneship of the state where the vacancy exists.
For female civil servants, indigeneship cannot be by marriage. Candidates must also have no pending disciplinary action against them.
The circular also directed serving permanent secretaries to confirm in their forwarding letters that all applicants are free from disciplinary cases.
It further instructed them to submit evidence demonstrating compliance with the eligibility criteria, a list of eligible directors on GL 17, the confidential and personal files of all eligible directors, two copies of each applicant’s curriculum vitae, and two hard copies as well as a soft copy of a brief on each eligible director, using the attached format.
The documents are to be sent to the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Career Management Office, Federal Secretariat Complex, Phase II, Block A, 4th Floor, Abuja, on or before 4:00 pm (WAT) on August 12, 2025.
Since coming into office, President Bola Tinubu has appointed no fewer than 26 permanent secretaries to fill existing vacancies in the federal civil service.
In November 2023, the President swore in eight new permanent secretaries. Another eight were sworn in in June 2024.
In December 2024, a total of eight new permanent secretaries were appointed from the pool of qualified directors in the Federal Civil Service while two new permanent secretaries were appointed in March 2025.