Anti-corruption agency has uncovered 908 ghost workers across federal ministries and agencies, recovering some ₦942 million in illicit payments.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) made the disclosure following a probe that began in 2024 after irregularities surfaced in pension payments.
ICPC Chairman Musa Aliyu said senior officials had allegedly inserted names of relatives and associates onto government payrolls to divert salaries for personal gain.
“One suspect allegedly enrolled his wife, son and mother-in-law as government workers while also collecting the salaries of 12 other fictitious employees,” Aliyu revealed.
The Nigeria Police Force topped the list with 570 ghost workers, followed by the National Water Resources Authority with 80 and the Federal Ministry of Works with 56, according to the investigation covering at least 50 MDAs.
Other notable figures included 24 in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 19 in the Ministry of Defence, 17 each in the Ministries of Power and Industry, Trade and Investment, 15 in the Ministry of Health, and 12 in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
The ICPC chief noted that additional ghost workers were found in the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation and the Ministry of Interior, though exact numbers were withheld as investigations continue.
The commission defines ghost workers as fictitious individuals illegally added to payrolls, enabling the siphoning of public funds through fake salary payments.
