Move targets consultants, corps members, and contract workers as government strengthens personnel cost oversight
By Dr. Nafisat Makinde
The Federal Government has ordered all ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) to remove consultants, corps members, and other non-permanent personnel from the 2026 budgeted payroll, signaling a stricter approach to managing public sector expenditures.
The directive was issued through the 2026 Personnel Cost Budget Call Circular by the Budget Office of the Federation (BOF), dated 7 July 2025, and signed by BOF Director-General Tanimu Yakubu. It was addressed to ministers, service chiefs, permanent secretaries, and heads of parastatals.
The circular emphasizes that only permanent, pensionable employees should be reflected in the personnel cost budget. It further warns that any unauthorized payments will attract sanctions.
Key directives include:
NYSC allowances for corps members must be centrally captured under the NYSC budget; additional stipends by host MDAs must come from overhead funds.
Consultants, contract staff, youth corpers, industrial attaches, outsourced service providers, and legionnaires are excluded from MDAs’ payroll records.
Anticipatory promotions are prohibited; only duly approved and implemented promotions should appear in the 2026 budget.
To enhance transparency and accountability, the government is launching a Personnel Cost Monitoring Dashboard, linked to the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) and the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS). This tool will allow MDAs to track personnel expenditures against budget allocations in real time.
Compliance deadlines are strict: MDAs must submit hard and soft copies of personnel budget proposals by 15 July 2025 and present a third-quarter personnel budget performance review by 30 September 2025.
The directive underscores the Federal Government’s determination to tighten control over payroll, curb wasteful spending, and ensure accountability in public sector human resources management.
