Minister gives update on Immigration, Civil Defence, Fire Service recruitments, promotions

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, says more than 27,000 personnel across Nigeria’s four paramilitary services have been approved for promotion.

Mr Tunji-Ojo also said the recruitment portal would open from 28 October to 13 November for candidates who reached the oral interview stage.

He disclosed this in a Facebook post on Friday after a meeting of the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB).

The minister said the board had also validated a healthcare policy framework to improve the health and welfare of personnel across the services.

He stated that the federal government remained committed to recruiting 120,000 young Nigerians into the services during President Bola Tinubu’s first term. The current recruitment exercise covers the first batch of 30,000 candidates.

The four services are the Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Federal Fire Service and Nigerian Correctional Service.

The latest promotions follow an exercise in December 2025, when the board approved the promotion of 24,202 senior officers across the four agencies. The Correctional Service accounted for 11,426 promotions, the Civil Defence Corps 5,859, the Immigration Service 4,336 and the Fire Service 2,581.

Mr Tunji-Ojo said the latest approval brought the number of personnel promoted across the services since Mr Tinubu assumed office in 2023 to more than 100,000.

He said more than 32,000 officers were promoted in 2023, over 20,000 in 2024 and more than 24,000 in 2025, while over 27,000 were approved for promotion in 2026.

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In August 2025, the minister said the government had cleared the backlog of promotions across the services, with more than 50,000 officers promoted within two years.

Read the full statement below.

At the meeting of the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB) today, we made far-reaching decisions to improve career progress and welfare of personnel across our paramilitary agencies.

In a historic step to boost morale and recognise meritorious service, the Board approved the promotion of over 27,000 officers across our four services. To further support our workforce, we validated a comprehensive healthcare policy framework designed to promote the health, fitness, and overall well-being of all officers and men.

On recruitment, we reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to enlist 120,000 young Nigerians into our paramilitary services over our first tenure. The process for the first tranche of 30,000 candidates has advanced, with the portal opening from 28th October to 13th November 2026 for those who have reached the oral interview stage.

Apparently, with this latest exercise, total promotions across the paramilitary agencies under the Ministry of Interior since His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR assumed office now stand at well over 100,000 officers. This comprises over 32,000 officers promoted in 2023, over 20,000 in 2024, more than 24,000 in 2025, and the just concluded over 27,000 approved today in 2026.

In the Ministry of Interior, this sustained record reflects the Renewed Hope Agenda’s unwavering commitment to ending career stagnation and building a well-motivated, disciplined, and fit workforce capable of discharging its constitutional responsibilities effectively.