President Bola Tinubu has exempted federal universities from obtaining recruitment waivers from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), a move expected to give university authorities greater control over staff recruitment.
Tinubu announced the reform at the maiden convocation of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Azare (FUHSA), in Bauchi State, on Saturday.
Represented by Sonny Echono, Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), the president said the exemption was documented in recent agreements signed with university staff unions.
According to him, the reform would empower the Federal Ministry of Education and university governing councils to make recruitment decisions based on institutions’ staffing needs.
“This measure empowers the federal ministry of education and university Governing Councils to discharge their respective responsibilities in staff recruitment, enabling institutions to respond more effectively to their legitimate manpower needs,” he said.
Tinubu Announces Payroll Reform for Universities
The president also disclosed plans to improve personnel and payroll administration across tertiary institutions by migrating their staff from the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) to the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS).
He said the transition was intended to improve payroll efficiency, strengthen transparency and accountability, ensure timely and accurate salary payments, and accommodate the operational peculiarities of tertiary institutions.
“This measure is part of our broader commitment to strengthening institutional autonomy, improving personnel and payroll management, and creating an enabling environment for effective teaching, research, innovation and service delivery,” he said.
Tinubu reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening tertiary education through infrastructure development, research funding and improved welfare for university personnel.
FUHSA Receives N8bn TETFund Intervention
Tinubu said the Federal Government had provided an initial N8 billion intervention to FUHSA through TETFund to support the university’s establishment.
He explained that the institution was established following the COVID-19 pandemic, which exposed critical gaps in Nigeria’s healthcare system.
According to the president, further funding would be channelled to the university through TETFund’s regular and special interventions, alongside allocations in the 2026 national budget.
The planned investments are expected to support the construction of roads, lecture halls and laboratories, as well as the provision of utility vehicles.
Tinubu also disclosed that the Federal Government had provided N10 billion for the National Research Fund in 2026.
He urged universities, particularly specialised institutions such as FUHSA, to undertake research that addresses Nigeria’s pressing health challenges.
FUHSA Graduates First Set of Students
Established in 2021 during the second administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, FUHSA held its maiden convocation ceremony on Saturday.
About 50 students graduated from the university during the ceremony.
The recruitment waiver requirement refers to approval that federal government institutions may need to obtain from the OHCSF before hiring new employees.
For federal universities, the requirement can affect the speed at which institutions fill vacant positions, replace retiring personnel and recruit additional academic and non-academic staff.
