By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola
The Federal Government has officially abolished manual postings, promotions and other personnel processes in the civil service, launching a fully digital platform that automates staff deployment, leave applications and human resource management across all federal ministries, departments and agencies.
The new system, known as the Human Resource Modules of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System, was unveiled on Monday, 27 July, 2026 in Abuja at an official Go-Live Ceremony, where the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, explained that the platform would replace manual processes with an integrated digital system covering the entire workforce lifecycle, in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Walson-Jack described the initiative as more than the unveiling of a digital platform, stating that it represented the institutionalisation of a better approach to managing government’s human resources.
She announced that lobbying for choice postings had become a thing of the past, as the platform would now determine staff deployment without room for manual influence or personal interference.
According to her, the system would handle biometric enrolment, onboarding, payroll administration, employee mobility, human resource processes, reporting and data analytics for the 508 ministries, extra-ministerial departments and agencies currently captured on the IPPIS platform.
She noted that integrating all personnel functions into a single platform would eliminate duplication, improve the accuracy of personnel records, and reduce errors and delays in service delivery.
She added that the move would strengthen transparency and accountability through automated approvals, standardised workflows and reliable audit trails.
The Head of Service further explained that the employee self-service module would allow officers to securely access and update their personal records, thereby reducing paperwork and administrative bottlenecks that had long characterised the civil service.
She stressed that the true value of digital transformation lay in simpler processes, faster services, improved information and greater accountability, adding that technology must ease the work of civil servants while strengthening government’s capacity to serve Nigerians.
Walson-Jack disclosed that the transition from the Oracle Electronic Business Suite to the new platform followed extensive testing and technical evaluation, noting with satisfaction that the software was developed entirely by Nigerians.
She described the achievement as a practical demonstration of the Nigeria First policy.
She, however, cautioned ministries, departments and agencies against merely adopting the technology while retaining old bureaucratic habits, warning that the platform must not become an electronic replica of inefficient practices.
She called for simplified processes, clearly defined responsibilities and the elimination of unnecessary delays if the reform was to achieve its intended impact.
Also speaking at the event, the Accountant-General of the Federation, Mr Shamseldeen Ogunjimi, revealed that IPPIS, which began in 2007 with seven pilot ministries, departments and agencies, had grown to cover 508 MDAs with over 1,008,800 employee records.
He described the introduction of the HR modules as a natural progression of the reform journey, moving the system from payroll administration to comprehensive digital human capital development.
He explained that integrating human resource management with payroll administration would strengthen fiscal discipline, improve workforce planning and enhance transparency in public financial management.
The Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission, Prof Tunji Olaopa, described IPPIS as one of Nigeria’s most successful public sector reforms, crediting it with eliminating ghost workers and centralising personnel records nationwide.
He noted that the newly introduced HR modules would enable civil servants to manage their records independently, apply for annual leave online, track promotions and disciplinary processes, and support data-driven workforce planning across government institutions.
In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Career Management Office in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Nkiruka Jones-Nebo, described the launch as another milestone in government’s ongoing effort to modernise and strengthen human resource management through technology-driven reforms.
She noted that the successful implementation of the new modules would depend largely on the commitment of permanent secretaries and other accounting officers to drive adoption across ministries and extra-ministerial departments.
Jones-Nebo urged directors of human resource management, IPPIS desk officers, information technology officers and other stakeholders to serve as key implementers, change champions and advocates for the effective utilisation of the modules.
She also called for sustained collaboration among government institutions to ensure a seamless transition and optimal deployment of the platform, describing the initiative as central to building a modern, digital and efficient federal civil service.
The Managing Director of SoftAlliance and Resources Limited, the company that developed the platform, Dr Bisi Aina, said the launch marked the completion of a fifteen-year digital transformation journey that had evolved IPPIS from a payroll-focused system into a comprehensive human capital management platform.
He explained that the indigenous solution would reduce government’s dependence on foreign software, shield it from foreign exchange volatility, and ensure that sensitive personnel data remained under Nigerian control.
The Federal Government stated that the platform would serve as the foundation for future integration with other government systems, advanced analytics and predictive workforce planning, as part of broader efforts to build a more efficient, transparent and globally competitive Federal Civil Service.
