President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated six new permanent secretaries in the Federal Civil Service in the Council Chambers of the State House in Abuja.

The appointment of the new officers was approved by the President in March 2023, following a weeks-long prequalification exercise for directors by the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation. The appointees and their states of origin are Mahmud Kambari (Borno State), Esuabana Nko-Asanye (Cross River), Lamuwa Ibrahim (Gombe), Yakubu Kofar-Mata (Kano), Oloruntola Michael (Ogun), and Richard Pheelangwah (Taraba State).

According to Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, the selection exercise for directors involved competency tests and interactions with a wide range of stakeholders. The event marked the culmination of the exercise, and the six persons had fulfilled the conditions as permanent secretaries.

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The swearing-in ceremony took place from 10:05 – 10:30 am, just before the commencement of the Federal Executive Council meeting. Boss Mustapha, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Dr. Folashade Yemi-Esan, the Head of Civil Service, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, the President’s Chief of Staff, and National Security Adviser, Maj-Gen. Babagana Monguno (retd.), were in attendance, along with ministers from various sectors, including Interior, Science and Technology, Finance, Transportation, Agriculture, Health, Information, Mines and Steel Development, Communication and Digital Economy, and Sports.

Notably absent was Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who was away in the United States of America, where he delivered a special lecture at the University of Pennsylvania advocating a just energy transition for Africa in the light of Climate Change. Osinbajo was expected back in Abuja later on the same day.