The Federal Government has reaffirmed the statutory authority of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM) as the country’s sole chartered regulatory body for the Human Resource profession, mandating professional certification for all civil servants performing HR functions.
The directive was conveyed in a circular dated 14 May 2026, issued by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation. It requires officers across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to obtain recognised HR certification within a 12-month transition period, after which full enforcement will commence.
The circular, referenced HCSF/3065/Vol.1/230 and signed by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, forms part of broader reforms aimed at strengthening professionalism, competence, ethical standards, and service delivery within the Federal Civil Service.
Under the new policy, only officers with certification from CIPM, alongside a limited number of globally recognised HR professional bodies, will be eligible for deployment into HR roles upon the expiration of the moratorium period.
Reacting to the development, the President and Chairman of the Governing Council of CIPM, Mallam Ahmed Ladan Gobir, welcomed the directive, describing it as a decisive step towards institutionalising professionalism in Nigeria’s public sector.
Gobir characterised the circular as “a landmark policy directive” aligned with global best practices in Human Resource Management. He emphasised that, as the statutory regulator of HR practice in Nigeria, CIPM regards professional certification and ethical compliance as fundamental to effective people management.
He further noted that the institute’s enabling law empowers it to set standards, certify practitioners, and enforce discipline within the profession. While acknowledging the recognition of certain international certifications, Gobir maintained that CIPM remains the only body with the legal mandate to regulate HR practice in Nigeria.
He urged HR practitioners, particularly those in the public sector, to utilise the 12-month transition window to regularise their status by obtaining CIPM certification.
The institute also called for full compliance with the directive, noting that the policy would enhance service delivery, promote meritocracy, and ensure that HR functions across the Federal Public Service are handled by qualified and competent professionals.
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