The Federal Government has introduced stricter verification requirements for newly recruited workers seeking admission into its payroll, as personnel costs rose by N133.94bn to N1.96tn in the first quarter of 2026, exceeding capital expenditure during the period.
An analysis by The PUNCH, of the Federal Government’s First Quarter Budget Implementation Reports for 2025 and 2026 showed that personnel expenditure increased by 7.35 per cent from N1.82tn in the corresponding period of 2025, reflecting growing pressure on public finances.
The new measures were announced on Monday by the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation in a statement signed by its Director of Press and Public Relations, Bawa Mokwa.
The OAGF said the directive, which takes immediate effect, applies to all ongoing and subsequent payroll admission processes under the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System.
The statement read, “Henceforth, no newly recruited employee shall be enrolled without first being captured on the nominal roll of the relevant MDA and satisfying all prescribed validation and eligibility requirements.”
According to the 2026 First Quarter Budget Implementation Report, the Federal Government spent N1.96tn on personnel costs between January and March, compared with N1.69tn on capital expenditure.
This means salaries and related personnel obligations exceeded capital spending by approximately N267bn, or 15.77 per cent.
