Nigeria’s Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack, has acknowledged that her office approved recruitment requests linked to the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) without carrying out an independent verification of the submissions.
The admission came amid growing public scrutiny over the recruitment process and the procedures followed in granting approval for appointments associated with the council.
Mrs Walson-Jack explained that the Office of the Head of the Civil Service relied on information and documentation presented by the relevant authorities responsible for the request, rather than conducting its own separate verification before granting approval.
Her remarks have intensified debate over accountability within the federal civil service, with governance experts arguing that independent verification is a critical safeguard to ensure transparency, compliance with due process, and the integrity of public sector recruitment.
The development has also raised fresh questions about the level of oversight exercised in the approval of appointments involving government agencies and special intervention programmes.
Although the Head of Service defended the administrative process followed by her office, the admission is expected to fuel calls for stronger institutional checks to prevent potential irregularities in future recruitment exercises.
The controversy surrounding the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council has attracted significant public attention in recent weeks, with stakeholders urging the government to strengthen transparency and reinforce confidence in federal recruitment procedures.
Analysts say the latest disclosure underscores the need for more rigorous verification mechanisms within government institutions to ensure that approvals are based on independently validated information rather than solely on submissions from requesting agencies.
