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The Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) has said about 98 per cent of candidates completed the 2026 Directorate Level Promotion Examination on Monday, declaring that the success of the computer-based test (CBT) has demonstrated its viability as the standard for future promotion exercises.
Chairman of the Commission, Tunji Olaopa, disclosed this on Monday while briefing journalists after inspecting CBT centres in Abuja, saying 5,792 of the 5,900 candidates scheduled for the examination had taken the test.
The exercise, which began on 21 September and was scheduled to end on 23 September, was conducted across seven locations representing the six geopolitical zones and the Federal Capital Territory. Only one centre was expected to complete the process the following day.
“From what we have seen and observed today, it is clear that computer-based test has come to stay,” Olaopa said.
He described the CBT format as easier to administer than the traditional examination process, despite the logistical demands of decentralising the exercise beyond Abuja.
“Last year was a bit tedious for us. This year, in spite of the fact that we promised that we were going to decentralise, we moved into different locations,” he said.
The examination was held in Abuja for FCT candidates, with other centres in Abeokuta, Enugu, Port Harcourt, Kaduna, Gombe and Lafia for the South-West, South-East, South-South, North-West, North-East and North-Central respectively.
Lafia was chosen partly to improve access for candidates from neighbouring states, including Kogi and Niger.
The FCT recorded 2,169 candidates, South-West 1,470, South-East 497, North-West 461 and North-East 217. About 97 per cent of candidates arrived at their centres on time.
Olaopa, who inspected eight centres in Abuja, described the exercise as generally successful but acknowledged that some areas required improvement.
The commission encountered intermittent internet connectivity, but deployed an alternative authentication system to prevent prolonged delays. Candidates were issued identity codes which could be used when connectivity affected the normal login process.
“When there was delay, instead of allowing too long prolonged delay, we just asked them to log in their code, and as soon as they log in, of course they automatically registered,” he explained.
He added that last-minute adjustments were also made to accommodate some candidates with visual or physical challenges who had not indicated their needs during registration.
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Limited computer literacy among some candidates, particularly older civil servants, was another challenge. However, the chairman said the CBT platform was deliberately designed to be simple and did not require advanced computer skills.
“The design does not take you through the normal routes of booting. Navigating is a little mechanical,” he said.
The experience, he added, had reinforced the need for civil servants to acquire basic digital skills, with the commission considering an information technology certification as a prerequisite for future promotion examinations.
“The policy that the government is working towards, and which we in the commission are planning to introduce, maybe from 2027 possibly, is some bit of IT licence as a pre-qualification,” Olaopa said.
He described the proposal as an incentive for officers to acquire relevant digital competencies rather than a punitive measure.
On concerns about political interference and favouritism in the promotion process, the chairman said the commission was determined to protect its integrity and uphold merit.
He described the FCSC as the “gatekeeper” of the civil service and public administration, saying the commission was working to eliminate sharp practices from the examination and promotion process.
Security agencies and observers participated in monitoring the exercise, while intelligence received before and during the examination helped address potential problems.
He said the commission will review the exercise, with network reliability, question quality and other technical issues among the areas to be examined. It is also considering ways of reducing the system’s dependence on internet connectivity.
He added that lessons from the exercise will inform further decentralisation, including the possibility of taking more examination centres directly to the states.
“If there is an imperative need to decentralise more, we can take them to states,” Olaopa said.
The 2026 Directorate Level Promotion Examination was conducted for eligible officers across the Federal Civil Service from 21 to 23 September, with the FCSC directing Ministries, Departments and Agencies to ensure that accredited officers were informed of the examination dates, venues and requirements.
