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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) has vowed to crack down on attempts to manipulate the 2026 Federal Civil Service Promotion Examination, warning that anyone found trying to compromise the process will be removed and sanctioned.
Chairman of the Commission, Tunji Olaopa, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja while addressing resource persons and professional stakeholders engaged in preparing questions for the examination.
Olaopa said the Commission had already taken disciplinary measures against some individuals previously involved in the examination process after intelligence reports indicated attempts to compromise the integrity of the test.
According to a statement by the Head of Press and Public Relations, Ibraheem Zakariyya, the FCSC chairman said the Commission would not allow personal interests, external pressure or other considerations to undermine an examination that determines the career progression of federal civil servants.
He described the Commission as a critical gatekeeper of the Nigerian Civil Service and charged those involved in setting the examination questions to uphold strict confidentiality, integrity and professionalism.
“Absolute integrity, confidentiality and professionalism” must guide the process, Olaopa said, warning that no individual or interest would be allowed to compromise the examination.
The Commission’s renewed scrutiny of the exercise follows concerns arising from the 2025 Computer-Based Test, which recorded an unusually high pass rate and raised questions about the ability of some questions to effectively distinguish candidates according to competence and professional capacity.
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Olaopa consequently directed the resource persons, whom he described as custodians of their respective professional cadres, to produce questions capable of testing the competence, knowledge, experience, judgement and maturity required of officers seeking advancement within the Federal Civil Service.
“The questions should adequately assess the competence, professional knowledge, experience, judgement and maturity expected of officers seeking advancement to higher levels within the Federal Civil Service,” he said.
Under the proposed reforms, officers on Grade Levels 16 and 17 will face scenario-based questions designed to test their ability to apply professional knowledge and judgement to real-life situations.
Candidates will answer 40 questions comprising 10 scenario-based questions and 30 multiple-choice questions. Each scenario-based question will carry two marks, while the remaining questions will attract one mark each, bringing the total score to 50 marks.
Olaopa, however, cautioned the resource persons against setting unnecessarily difficult questions, stressing that the objective was not to fail candidates but to ensure that only officers with the required professional competence progressed in the service.
He urged them to approach the exercise as experienced teachers and assessors by producing questions that are challenging, relevant and professionally grounded.
The chairman said the Commission was determined to strengthen the credibility of the promotion examination and restore the high professional standards traditionally associated with the civil service.
He called for close collaboration between the resource persons and the Commission to ensure that the 2026 examination is conducted fairly and transparently, with promotion based on merit, competence and sound professional judgement.
