The 48th Meeting of the National Council on Establishments (NCE) was held from July 20 to July 24, 2026, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Chaired by Federation Head of Civil Service Didi Esther Walson-Jack and hosted by Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, the conference gathered Heads of Service from all 36 states and the FCT to discuss public service administration
Key Takeaways:
* Professional membership should not be an automatic requirement: Membership of a professional body or possession of a professional certification should not, by itself, block appointment, promotion or career progression in the Nigerian public service.
* Competence should take priority: The government is placing greater emphasis on competence, experience, performance, training, skills and job requirements
* Exceptions apply to specialised cadres: Professional certification or registration can remain compulsory where it is expressly required under an approved Scheme of Service.
* Professional bodies remain important: Membership and certification are still recognised as tools for **professional competence, ethics and continuous professional development
* Implications for many professions: The clarification could affect accountants, engineers, lawyers, surveyors, architects, procurement officers, teachers, nurses, pharmacists, medical professionals and others.
* Entry points to be harmonised: The NCE approved a Harmonised Entry Point Framework to promote consistency in determining entry levels across public-service cadres.
* Enhanced entry-point proposals under review: Ten proposals seeking enhanced entry points were referred to a standing committee, while five others were sent for further study because of their potential financial and grade-relativity implications.
* New cadres require evidence of need: Five proposals for creating new cadres were deferred until a personnel audit and skills-gap analysis are completed.
* Focus on existing workforce capacity: Government wants to identify available skills and genuine competency gaps before establishing additional cadres, helping to prevent duplication.
* Paramedics cadres approved: The council approved: Paramedics Assistant Cadre: Salary Grade Levels 04–07 Paramedics Technician Cadre: Salary Grade Levels 06–14
* Greater harmonisation across government: The council called for stronger cooperation among the Federal Government, states and FCT on human-resource management and professional standards.
* Leadership transition: The meeting was the valedictory session of Didi Esther Walson-Jackas chairman of the NCE, with members commending her contributions.
Bottom line:
A professional certificate should not automatically determine a civil servant’s career progression. The decisive question should be whether the certification is specifically required by an approved Scheme of Service for that particular cadre or position.