Japa: FG moves to weed out ‘ghost workers’ from civil service payroll

The Federal Government (FG) has launched a new personnel audit to identify and dismiss ‘ghost workers’ from the federal civil service payroll.

This initiative comes amid rising concerns over the growing trend of civil servants, commonly referred to as “japa,” who have relocated abroad but continue to draw government salaries.

The audit was announced in a memo signed by Dauda Abdulhamid, the Director of Administration at the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF).

The memo outlines a Service-wide Nominal Roll Update and a comprehensive personnel audit, targeting Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) across the country.

The memo reads, in part:

“Following the Service-wide Nominal Roll Update for officers under the pool of the OAGF and in line with the Accountant-General’s commitment to establishing a standardised and reliable personnel record, the AGF has approved the conduct of a Personnel Audit Exercise across the Headquarters, Federal Pay Offices, and all MDAs under the pool of the OAGF.

To facilitate the process, all affected MDAs have been instructed to complete the attached template accurately. The deadline for submission is May 2, 2025.

The memo warned that any civil servant who fails to comply would risk being classified as a “ghost worker.”

”To facilitate this process, all affected MDAs are required to complete the attached template accurately and in full. All desk officers must ensure compliance with the referenced circular before submitting the duly completed template by the deadline to avoid being classified as ghost workers.” the memo added.

The audit follows a series of investigations into payroll fraud linked to the mass migration of civil servants in recent years.

Reports indicate that many civil servants have continued to receive government salaries after leaving the country, sparking concerns about widespread corruption.

The initiative comes a year after President Bola Tinubu ordered a sweeping audit of the federal civil service to tackle the issue.

In 2023, revelations emerged that several public officials had been drawing salaries while residing abroad.

In response, President Tinubu ordered that any civil servant found to have fraudulently received government funds after relocating should refund the money.

The President also instructed that heads of departments and supervisors who facilitated such fraudulent activities would face disciplinary actions.