The Federal Ministry of Finance warns that a fraudulent message circulating among newly recruited staff is a scam. In a statement issued on Wednesday and signed by its Head of Information and Public Relations, Efe Ovuakporie, the ministry says the message falsely claims that the Human Resource Management Department directed new recruits to pay a non-refundable N50,000 administrative fee before resuming duty. The ministry states that the message does not originate from any office or official within the Ministry of Finance and categorically denies issuing any such directive.
According to the ministry, recruitment into the Ministry of Finance follows established federal civil service procedures and does not require applicants or newly recruited staff to pay any administrative, processing, or resumption fee at any stage of recruitment, documentation, or onboarding. It advises prospective employees and the public to disregard the message, avoid making any payments, and not disclose personal or financial information to anyone behind the alleged scam.
The ministry also urges people who receive the message, or who have information that could help identify those responsible, to report to appropriate law enforcement agencies or notify it through its official communication channels. It further encourages verification of employment-related claims through official government channels.