How digital reforms are reshaping Nigeria’s paramilitary recruitment

By Kelechi Ogunleye, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

The integration of technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) into recruitment exercises is redefining how public institutions engage prospective employees in Nigeria.

For decades, recruitment into Nigeria’s paramilitary agencies was characterised by cumbersome procedures, long-distance travel and overcrowded examination centres.

In some cases, allegations of irregularities further undermined public confidence in the process.

Consequently, many job seekers endured significant hardship in their pursuit of employment opportunities.

One of the most tragic reminders of the challenges associated with conventional recruitment exercises occurred in March 2014 during the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) recruitment exercise.

The exercise attracted hundreds of thousands of applicants across centres nationwide for fewer than 5,000 vacancies.

The overwhelming turnout led to stampedes and chaos at several centres, resulting in the deaths of at least 20 applicants and injuries to many others.

The incident sparked nationwide outrage and renewed calls for safer, more transparent and technology-driven recruitment systems capable of reducing the risks associated with mass physical gatherings.

Against this backdrop, many Nigerians have continued to advocate recruitment processes that are efficient, accessible, data-driven and transparent.

Prior to recent reforms, applicants often faced several challenges, including delays in receiving examination invitations, uncertainty about examination schedules and the financial burden of travelling long distances to designated Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres.

In many cases, candidates were required to travel to states far from their places of residence to participate in recruitment examinations.

As a result, some were involved in road accidents, others arrived late because of poor road conditions, while many missed the examinations altogether due to transportation and accommodation costs.

It is against this background that stakeholders have welcomed recent efforts by the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, to modernise the recruitment process for the nation’s paramilitary agencies.

The minister, who also serves as Chairman of the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB), introduced a fully digital application and examination process for the 2025 paramilitary recruitment exercise.

CDCFIB is responsible for recruitment, promotion, personnel welfare and discipline in the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Federal Fire Service (FFS), the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) and the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).

Unlike conventional CBT examinations that require candidates to appear physically at designated centres and use pre-arranged computer facilities under the supervision of invigilators, the new system enabled applicants to complete their examinations remotely.

The board, through candidates’ examination slips, announced that the recruitment examination would be monitored through live video surveillance and AI-assisted proctoring.

“Any suspicious movement, communication, or attempt to access other materials may result in instant disqualification,” the board stated.

The initiative marked a major departure from traditional CBT examinations, as candidates were monitored remotely through their device cameras and microphones while taking the examinations from the comfort of their homes or other approved locations.

Observers say the adoption of technology has given many applicants renewed confidence in the integrity of the recruitment process.

Similarly, the Secretary to the Board, retired Maj.-Gen. Abdulmalik Jibril, assured Nigerians of transparency and fairness throughout the exercise.

According to him, no fewer than 30,000 successful candidates will eventually be recruited into the various paramilitary agencies.

While addressing journalists, Jibril reiterated the board’s commitment to ensuring that only qualified candidates are recruited.

He also stressed the need to build an effective and ethical workforce capable of improving service delivery across the agencies under the board’s supervision.

Before the commencement of the exercise, Jibril had announced that the online recruitment process would begin on July 2, 2025.

However, the exercise was subsequently postponed to July 14 before eventually commencing on July 21, 2025.

In response to concerns raised by applicants over the postponement, the board later extended the application deadline from Aug. 4 to Aug. 11, 2025.

According to Jibril, the extension was intended to provide additional opportunities for interested applicants seeking enlistment into any of the paramilitary services.

The extension appeared to yield results.

On the final day of the application process, CDCFIB disclosed through its recruitment portal that a total of 1.91 million Nigerians applied for various positions across the paramilitary agencies.

Statistics released by the board showed that Kogi recorded the highest number of applicants with 116,243, followed by Kaduna with 114,599 and Benue with 110,644.

Other states with high application numbers included Kano (89,421), Niger (79,567), Kwara (78,467), Katsina (76,917), Nasarawa (76,677), Adamawa (68,381), Oyo (67,255) and Plateau (63,450).

Others were Osun (62,399), Borno (56,955), Ondo (53,963), Akwa Ibom (52,531), Bauchi (52,159) and Imo (48,301).

At the conclusion of the CBT examination, CDCFIB disclosed that 58.5 per cent of applicants successfully completed the examination, while 22.6 per cent had incomplete applications.

The board further revealed that no fewer than 360,923 applicants were disqualified, while 432,935 failed to complete their CBT examinations.

A gender breakdown showed that male applicants dominated the exercise, accounting for 737,270 completed applications compared to 323,052 completed applications by female candidates.

State-by-state data also indicated that Kogi recorded 75,494 successful CBT applicants, followed by Oyo with 69,071, Nasarawa with 69,041, Jigawa with 54,414, Yobe with 52,487 and Ogun with 50,940.

Nonetheless, in spite of the innovations introduced into the recruitment process, some shortlisted candidates expressed frustration over technical difficulties encountered during the online examinations.

Several applicants who took to X, formerly Twitter, complained of portal access issues, automatic logouts and blank examination screens.

One of the applicants, Eze Francis (@official_dubem2), wrote, “#CDCFIBRecruitment2025: I had a glitch on the exam today. Case of empty space with just me looking at myself on the camera, no questions.

“I tried to refresh and it says exam already completed. It pained me a lot because I’ve been preparing for this exam”.

Similarly, Peter (@firstrealpeter) posted, “#CDCFIBRecruitment2025 #cdcfib @CDCFIBNG please, I logged in 30 mins to exam as instructed and I’m here on blank page. Help o”.

Another applicant, Henry King, appealed for intervention.

“@BTOofficial @CDCFIBNG #CDCFIBRecruitment2025 @nigimmigration @NigeriaGov @officialABAT: Come to our assistance sir. This is injustice to us that were unable to write the examination. We deserve free and fair CBT examination,” he wrote.

However, beyond the examination stage, several applicants who participated in the medical screening exercise commended the organisation and professionalism displayed by officials.

An applicant to the Federal Fire Service, Ms Esther Kayode, who applied for the position of Assistant Superintendent of Fire II, expressed satisfaction with the process.

She said the screening involved assessments of physical appearance, checks for tattoos and body marks, previous surgeries, including Caesarean Section (CS), blood pressure measurements and other physical evaluations.

She, however, clarified that no blood samples were taken during the exercise.

Another applicant, Mr Ibrahim Salim, described the screening process as successful and well organised.

According to him, officials were welcoming and the arrangements at the centre contributed significantly to the smooth conduct of the exercise.

Likewise, Ms Josephine Owoicho said her experience exceeded expectations.

“At first, I was tensed, I won’t lie, but everything went smoothly,” she said.

An NSCDC applicant screened at an NIS facility, Mr David Okafor, also praised the professionalism of officials.

According to him, applicants were treated with respect and dignity in a conducive environment.

The growing adoption of technology in examinations is not unique to recruitment exercises.

When the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) introduced CBT for tertiary institution admissions in 2015, the then Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the board, Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, described it as a major step forward.

According to Ojerinde, the introduction of CBT contributed significantly to reducing examination malpractice.

“This system was thought out as the only way for now that can address the challenges of examination malpractice, such as impersonation and other ills associated with public examinations,” he said.

He also argued that the innovation would encourage digital literacy among Nigerians.

“Most candidates at the end of the examination confessed that CBT is the best mode as it further enhances candidates’ performance and makes them more serious and focused during the conduct of examinations, as they all know that it is no longer business as usual,” Ojerinde added.

On the other hand, the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) maintains that technology alone cannot eliminate examination malpractice.

NUT National President, Audu Amba, argued that the nation’s education system places excessive emphasis on certification rather than intellectual development.

“We have placed more emphasis on certification; what is your grade? What are your scores? Not minding the intellectual intelligence of that student.

“The students will go out of their ways to make sure that they get the marks that will give them the certificate,” he said.

Amba also stressed the need to address the digital literacy gap before fully embracing such technologies.

“We are talking about CBT exams. Where is the light, manpower and network? You see, we have a long way to go,” he said.

Meanwhile, efforts to strengthen the credibility of online examinations continue.

In that regard, the Computer-Based Test Centres Proprietors Association of Nigeria recently convened stakeholders to discuss examination integrity and strategies for curbing malpractice.

The association’s President, Austin Ohaekelem, said the initiative was aimed at promoting a culture of academic integrity through anti-examination malpractice campaigns.

Taken together, the growing adoption of CBT and AI-assisted proctoring in recruitment, promotion examinations, interviews and educational assessments suggests that technology has become an integral part of modern governance and public administration.

For many observers, the CDCFIB recruitment exercise demonstrates how technology can expand access, reduce costs and minimise many of the risks associated with traditional recruitment systems.

More importantly, it reflects lessons learned from past experiences, including the 2014 immigration recruitment tragedy, which highlighted the dangers of overcrowded physical recruitment exercises.

As Nigeria advances its digital transformation agenda, the adoption of transparent, technology-driven and AI-supported recruitment systems is expected to strengthen efficiency, accountability and public confidence in the recruitment process.

While challenges such as connectivity, digital literacy and infrastructure gaps remain, many stakeholders believe the future of recruitment lies in innovative systems that promote accessibility, fairness and equal opportunity for all applicants. (NANFeatures)

Edited by Tosin Kolade

***If used, please credit the writer and the News Agency of Nigeria.