Federal universities get freedom to recruit as Tinubu scraps waiver
President Bola Tinubu has exempted federal universities from obtaining recruitment waivers from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation before employing academic and non-academic staff.
Tinubu announced the decision on Saturday at the maiden convocation ceremony of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Azare, Bauchi State, describing it as part of reforms aimed at strengthening university autonomy and improving administrative efficiency.
Represented by the Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Sonny Echono, the president said the exemption had been incorporated into recent agreements signed between the federal government and university staff unions.
“This measure empowers the Federal Ministry of Education and university governing councils to discharge their respective responsibilities in staff recruitment, enabling institutions to respond more effectively to their legitimate manpower needs,” Tinubu said.
The president explained that the policy would enable federal universities to fill vacant positions, replace retiring personnel and recruit qualified staff without the delays associated with obtaining recruitment waivers.
He also disclosed plans to migrate tertiary institution employees from the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) to the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS).
According to him, the transition is intended to improve payroll administration, strengthen transparency and accountability, and ensure timely and accurate salary payments.
“This measure is part of our broader commitment to strengthening institutional autonomy, improving personnel and payroll management, and creating an enabling environment for effective teaching, research, innovation and service delivery,” he said.
Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to improving tertiary education through infrastructure development, research funding and better welfare for university workers.
He disclosed that the federal government had provided an initial N8 billion intervention through TETFund to support the establishment and development of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Azare.
The president said additional funding would be provided through regular and special TETFund interventions, alongside allocations in the 2026 national budget for roads, lecture halls, laboratories and utility vehicles.
He further announced that N10 billion had been allocated to the National Research Fund in 2026, urging universities to undertake research addressing Nigeria’s pressing healthcare challenges.
Established in 2021 under former President Muhammadu Buhari, the Federal University of Health Sciences, Azare, graduated about 50 students at its maiden convocation.
The recruitment waiver exemption is expected to give federal universities greater flexibility in addressing staffing shortages and meeting their academic and administrative needs.