The Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) has remained quiet for some time, but recent developments suggest that activities are ongoing. There have been growing rumors about an upcoming computer-based test (CBT) for shortlisted applicants under the ongoing FCSC recruitment exercise.
Contrary to widespread speculation, the recruitment process has not been abandoned. Reliable sources within the Commission confirmed that once all necessary preparations are finalized, qualified applicants will be contacted for the next phase, which is the CBT.
The Federal Civil Service Commission had officially released the list of shortlisted candidates for its 2025 recruitment exercise on July 17, 2025. Candidates whose names appeared on the list were directed to log into their dashboards and complete the Shortlisted Candidates Form. The form required them to provide details such as disability status, preferred examination center, and additional academic qualifications.
On August 9, 2025, the Commission sent SMS notifications to shortlisted applicants instructing them to update or confirm their examination centers before August 12. This step indicated that the exams will be conducted in centers chosen by candidates. Since the Commission has already adopted a CBT format, the test is expected to follow that model.
However, reports suggest that the recruitment team may consider using a similar examination model to the one used by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), which allowed candidates to take their CBT exams remotely. Hopefully, the team is working to make sure that the examination experience will be better than what we have seen in the NCS CBT.
The delay in the FCSC recruitment exercise may be linked to the Commission’s ongoing internal activities. Recently, the FCSC conducted an online promotion accreditation examination for officers on levels 14 to 16, which ran from Friday, September 12 to Sunday, September 28, 2025.
In addition, the Commission is set to conduct a personnel audit and skills gap analysis between October 16 and November 14, 2025, as part of its effort to reposition its workforce.
For now, the key point is that every shortlisted applicant who successfully updated their profile will be eligible to participate in the forthcoming examination.