In a major reshuffle of the federal civil service, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has approved the redeployment of several serving Permanent Secretaries across key Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) of government. Spear News has obtained an exclusive copy of the official circular, dated 19 November 2025, issued by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) and signed by Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, OON, mni, detailing the extensive personnel changes.
The circular was addressed to top government functionaries including the Chief of Staff to the President, the Deputy Chief of Staff, all Ministers, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Service Chiefs, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, heads of federal commissions, and other senior officials across the executive, legislative, and judicial arms of government. It notifies the recipients of the immediate redeployment of serving Permanent Secretaries and provides directives for the orderly handing-over and taking-over of responsibilities within the affected MDAs.
According to the circular, the redeployment takes effect immediately from Wednesday, 19 November 2025, and all handovers are expected to be completed by Wednesday, 26 November 2025. While the document does not explicitly state the reasons for the individual postings, the scale of the exercise reflects an effort by the administration to strengthen institutional capacity, improve efficiency, and ensure that the most qualified officers are placed in strategic positions across the federal bureaucracy.
Among the key movements, Engr. Funsho Adebiyi has been redeployed from the Ministry of Works to the Ministry of Transportation, while Dr. Ibrahim Abubakar Kana moves from Aviation and Aerospace Development to the General Services Office under the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF). Dr. Yakubu Adam Kofarmata, previously serving at Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, has been reassigned to Aviation and Aerospace Development, and Mrs. Nko Asanye Esuabana transitions from Innovation, Science and Technology to the Ministry of Women Affairs.
The Ministry of Defence will now be overseen by Mr. Richard Pheelamilo Pheelangwa, who previously served in Water Resources and Sanitation. Mr. Raymond Omenka Omachi, formerly handling Finance (Special Duties), has been moved to the Ministry of Finance, where he is expected to understudy the outgoing Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Lydia Shehu Jafiya. In Budget and Economic Planning, Dr. Deborah Oyindamola Odoh moves from the Service Policies and Strategies Office of the OHCSF, while Mr. Olubunmi Olusanya leaves Youth Development to take charge at Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction.
Other redeployments include Dr. Emeka Vitalis Obi, who leaves Petroleum Resources for the Federal Civil Service Commission, and Mrs. Fatima Sugra Tabi’a Mahmood, previously in the Career Management Office of the OHCSF, who will now serve at the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy to understudy Mr. Olufemi Michael Oloruntola. Dr. Emanso Okop Umobong moves from Cabinet Affairs in the OSGF to Water Resources and Sanitation, while Dr. Maryam Ismaila Keshinro, formerly at Women Affairs, assumes responsibility for Youth Development.
Further changes include Mr. Ndiomu Philip Ebiogeh leaving the Federal Civil Service Commission for Innovation, Science and Technology, and Engr. Nadungu Gagare, redeployed from Economic and Political Affairs in the OSGF, taking over at Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy. Mrs. Oyekunle Patience Nwakuso moves from the Service Welfare Office of the OHCSF to Petroleum Resources, while Mr. Adeladan Rafiu Olarinre transitions from Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy to Works.
Government observers note that such extensive redeployments, while part of routine civil service practice, are significant because they affect senior bureaucrats in key positions responsible for policy implementation and service delivery. Analysts suggest that the exercise is aimed at enhancing performance, reducing administrative bottlenecks, and ensuring that officers with relevant expertise are placed where they can deliver results effectively.
The circular also emphasizes the importance of completing all handover and takeover procedures within the stipulated period, underscoring the administration’s intent to ensure a smooth transition and continuity in governance. The exercise is likely to have far-reaching implications for several ministries and agencies, especially in sectors such as Defence, Finance, Aviation, and Innovation, where leadership continuity and effective administration are critical.
While the OHCSF did not provide further commentary on the individual redeployments, the scale and timing of the reshuffle suggest a strategic effort to align the civil service with the government’s broader reform agenda. The federal bureaucracy is expected to adjust swiftly to the new leadership structures, and Spear News will continue to monitor developments as the redeployment is fully implemented across the affected ministries and agencies.
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