Ghost workers face March salary cut as FG concludes civil service audit

The Federal Government has announced that salaries of unverified staff in the Federal Civil Service will be halted from March 2026 as it rounds off its nationwide personnel verification exercise.

This directive was disclosed in a memo issued by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and signed by the Head of Service, Didi Walson-Jack. The communication was addressed to the Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission, Tunji Olaopa.

The action follows the completion of the Personnel Audit and Skills Gap Analysis (PASGA), a reform initiative introduced in 2025 to sanitise the federal payroll and improve workforce efficiency.

The audit was launched on the directive of President Bola Tinubu during the maiden International Civil Service Week, with the aim of ensuring that only properly verified and competent personnel remain in government service.

Although the verification began last year, the Head of Service noted that some officers had yet to complete either the physical audit or the online skills assessment.

To address this, the government has approved a final two-week mop-up exercise for outstanding cases. The exercise will run from February 16 to February 27, 2026, in Abuja at designated centres within the OHCSF complex.

According to the memo, completion of both the physical verification and the skills assessment is mandatory. Officers who fail to comply within the window will be classified as non-compliant.

The government warned that salaries of affected officers will be stopped from March 2026. In addition, such workers may face administrative procedures that could lead to termination of their appointments in line with Public Service Rules.

Officials said the measure is part of broader efforts to strengthen payroll integrity and eliminate irregularities, including cases of ghost workers and civil servants who reside or work abroad without proper authorisation while still drawing government salaries.

The authorities described the clean-up as necessary to curb financial leakages, improve workforce planning, and ensure accountability across ministries, departments, and agencies.