Federal Government don introduce stricter checks for newly employed workers wey wan enter government payroll, as money wey government spend on workers’ salaries and other payments rise reach N1.96tn for the first three months of 2026.
According to analysis by The PUNCH of the Federal Government’s First Quarter Budget Implementation Reports for 2025 and 2026, government spending on workers increase by N133.94bn, representing 7.35 per cent rise compared to the N1.82tn wey government spend during the same period for 2025.
Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation announce the new rules on Monday through statement wey its Director of Press and Public Relations, Bawa Mokwa, sign.
The office say the new directive don start immediately and e go affect all ongoing and future processes wey concern adding newly employed workers to government payroll through the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).
According to the statement, government no go add any newly employed worker to the payroll until the person’s name don appear for the official staff list of the ministry, department or agency (MDA) wey employ the person, and the worker don meet all necessary checks and requirements.
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.”
Figures from the Federal Government’s 2026 First Quarter Budget Implementation Report show say government spend N1.96tn on workers’ salaries and related payments between January and March, compared to N1.69tn wey e spend on capital projects.
This means say government spend approximately N267bn more on workers’ salaries and related payments than e spend on capital projects, representing a difference of 15.77 per cent.
The report also show say money wey government spend on workers take 20.05 per cent of the Federal Government’s total spending of N9.76tn, while money wey government spend on capital projects take 17.32 per cent.
Further breakdown show say money wey government spend on workers under Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) increase from N1.57tn for the first three months of 2025 to N1.70tn for the same period in 2026.
This represent an increase of N133.94bn, or 8.54 per cent.
However, money wey Government-Owned Enterprises spend on workers remain the same at N254.35bn, meaning say the entire increase in the reported salary spending come from ministries, departments and agencies.
The figures also show say Federal Government spend an average of N652.37bn every month on workers’ salaries and related payments during the period under review, compared to N607.73bn monthly during the same period for 2025.
Despite the increase in spending, the actual amount wey government release for workers’ salaries still remain below the amount wey dem plan to spend for the first quarter.
According to the Budget Office, government set aside N8.35tn for MDAs’ workers’ salaries in the 2026 budget, compared to N7.60tn wey dem allocate in 2025.
This represent an increase of approximately N758.51bn, or 9.99 per cent.
The report explain say out of the N8.35tn wey government approve for MDAs’ workers’ salaries in 2026, the amount wey dem expect to spend for the first three months na N2.09tn.
However, government release only N1.70tn during the first quarter, leaving a difference of N385.78bn, representing 18.47 per cent below the expected amount.
