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• Commission insists exercise ‘has not been forgotten,’ says no date yet for CBT
From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) has admitted that the long-awaited Federal Civil Service recruitment exercise remains pending due to the non-availability of resources required to conduct its outstanding stages, leaving thousands of Nigerian applicants waiting anxiously for the next phase.
The Commission, however, sought to calm growing frustration among applicants, insisting that the recruitment exercise had not been abandoned or forgotten.
In a statement issued on August 31, 2026, by its Head of Press and Public Relations, Ibraheem Zakariyya, the Commission acknowledged the mounting concerns over the delay, particularly regarding shortlisted candidates and the yet-to-be-conducted Computer-Based Test (CBT).
The FCSC said it was aware of the “anxiety and frustration” of applicants who had patiently waited for the recruitment process to be concluded.
“The Commission understands the anxiety and frustration of applicants who have patiently awaited the conclusion of the exercise,” the statement said.
“We wish to assure all affected applicants and the general public that the Commission remains committed to completing the recruitment exercise and has not lost sight of the expectations of the thousands of Nigerians who participated in the process.”
The Commission disclosed that the fate of the outstanding CBT was now dependent on the release of the resources needed to conduct the exercise.
It said its Chairman, Tunji Olaopa, was fully aware of the concerns being expressed by applicants and members of the public over the prolonged delay.
“The Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Tunji Olaopa, is not oblivious to the concerns of applicants and the public regarding the timely conclusion of the exercise,” it said.
“The Commission is committed to ensuring that the process is concluded as soon as the necessary resources required to conduct the outstanding stages are made available.”
The statement indicated that once the required resources were released, shortlisted candidates would be assigned to the appropriate states where the CBT would take place.
“In particular, once the required resources are released, shortlisted candidates will be duly designated to the appropriate states where the CBT component of the exercise will be conducted,” the Commission stated.
It urged applicants to remain patient and depend only on information released through its official channels.
The FCSC also issued a strong warning against social media speculation and individuals claiming to possess inside information about the recruitment exercise, stressing that it had not fixed any date for the CBT.
“At this time, the Commission has not announced a specific date for the CBT, and applicants are advised not to rely on information circulating on unofficial social media platforms or from individuals claiming to have inside information about the exercise,” it said.
According to the Commission, the date, venue, modalities and other details of the CBT would be officially communicated once the necessary arrangements had been concluded.
Despite the delay, the Commission assured Nigerian youths and other applicants that it remained conscious of the importance of employment opportunities and the high expectations attached to the Federal Government recruitment process.
It pledged to ensure that the eventual conclusion of the exercise would be “credible, transparent, merit-based and consistent with the applicable rules and procedures of the Federal Civil Service.”
The Commission said: “We also wish to assure members of the public that the Commission appreciates the importance of employment opportunities for Nigerian youths and the expectations attached to the Federal Civil Service recruitment process.”
The FCSC declared: “Please be assured: the recruitment exercise has not been forgotten.”
“The Commission remains committed to its completion once the required resources are made available,” it added.
