Federal universities no longer need a recruitment waiver from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) before hiring staff. President Bola Tinubu announced the change on Saturday, 17 October 2026, at the maiden convocation of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Azare (FUHSA) in Bauchi State.
The President was represented by TETFund’s Executive Secretary, Arc. Sonny Echono.
What changes
- Hiring authority now rests with the Federal Ministry of Education and each university’s governing council, without prior OHCSF clearance.
- Tinubu called it a “necessary step towards greater institutional autonomy.”
- The change was reportedly part of recent agreements signed with university staff unions.
Other announcements
| Announcement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Payroll | Tertiary staff to move from IPPIS to GIFMIS |
| FUHSA funding | TETFund released an initial ₦8 billion to help establish the university |
| Research | ₦10 billion committed to the national research fund in 2026 |
| Student loans | 1,798 FUHSA students have received NELFUND support |
Why it matters to students
Staff shortages are a long-running complaint in Nigerian universities, especially in new institutions and in courses like Medicine, Nursing and Engineering. Waivers often took months, leaving departments short of lecturers. Faster hiring can mean:
- fewer cancelled or combined classes;
- better staff numbers during NUC accreditation, which protects your course;
- quicker take-off for newly created universities.
Separately, TETFund has said it has released over ₦300 billion to the student loan fund. If you’re a student, see our NELFUND student loan guide.
