Federal Govt Mandates Professional HR Certification For Civil Service Roles

The federal government through the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) has directed all administrative cadre officers seeking deployment to human resource (HR) roles to obtain professional certification from approved local or international bodies, with a deadline of May 2027.

In a circular dated May 14, 2026, with reference number HCSF/3065/Vol.1/230, the head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, announced the new certification requirements as part of ongoing efforts to professionalise human resource practice in the federal public service.

The directive, addressed to top government functionaries including the Chief of Staff to the President, ministers, permanent secretaries, service chiefs, and heads of agencies, defines an HR role as encompassing “workforce planning and recruitment, onboarding, employee records and HR information management, performance management, career progression, training and capacity development, staff welfare and compensation, discipline, employee and industrial relations, and exit management.”

Walson-Jack stipulated that only certifications from six recognised bodies would be accepted, namely: the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM), the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) of the United Kingdom, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) of the United States, the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI) of the United States, Chartered Professionals in Human Resources (CPHR) Canada, or any other body subsequently approved by her office.

“A moratorium period of 12 months from the date of this Circular is granted to all affected officers to obtain approved HR certification.

“During the grace period, affected officers may remain in their current roles or be redeployed, provided they present verifiable evidence of enrolment and demonstrable progress towards certification within six months of this Circular,” the circular reads.

According to the circular, upon expiration of the moratorium, possession of an approved HR certification shall be required for deployment to HR roles in Human Resource Departments service-wide, the Career Management Office, Service Policies and Strategies Office, Service Welfare Office (all under the Office of the Head of the Civil Service), and the Federal Civil Service Commission.

Walson-Jack directed all accounting officers to draw the attention of their staff to the circular’s content for guidance, adding that the directive takes immediate effect.

The circular referenced earlier directives from August 31, 2023, and March 21, 2024, which had initially set the stage for the professionalisation of human resource management in the federal civil service.