FG TIGHTENS PAYROLL CHECKS AS SALARIES GULP N1.96TN

The Federal Government has introduced stricter verification measures for newly recruited civil servants seeking admission into its payroll system following a rise in personnel expenditure to ₦1.96 trillion in the first quarter of 2026.

The new directive, announced by the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF), is aimed at strengthening accountability, preventing payroll irregularities and ensuring that only properly verified employees receive government salaries.

Under the new arrangement, Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) must ensure that newly recruited workers are captured on their respective nominal rolls and meet all prescribed eligibility requirements before being enrolled in the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).

The OAGF explained that agencies seeking to enrol new employees must submit recruitment approvals, appointment letters, applicable waivers and other supporting documents for verification.

The process will also involve checking employees' salary structures, grade levels, allowances, pension details, National Housing Fund registration and tax records.

The office warned that applications containing incomplete documentation or unresolved discrepancies would be withheld until all requirements were satisfied. Officials responsible for processing unauthorised payroll admissions would also be held accountable.

The stricter measures come amid rising personnel costs. According to the Federal Government's first-quarter budget implementation report, personnel expenditure increased from ₦1.82 trillion in the first quarter of 2025 to ₦1.96 trillion in the corresponding period of 2026, representing a 7.35 per cent increase.

Government spending on salaries also exceeded capital expenditure, which stood at ₦1.69 trillion during the period.

The figures further showed that personnel costs accounted for 20.05 per cent of the Federal Government's total expenditure of ₦9.76 trillion.

Meanwhile, government revenue stood at approximately ₦5.08 trillion, significantly below the quarterly target of ₦9.22 trillion, adding to concerns about the country's growing fiscal pressure.

The government has therefore emphasised the need to control recurrent expenditure while improving the management of public resources.

The new payroll directive takes immediate effect and applies to all ongoing and subsequent applications for the enrolment of newly recruited federal government employees.