The Federal Government has approved an upward review of the housing loan ceiling for civil servants, allowing permanent secretaries to access as much as ₦25 million under the Federal Government Staff Housing Loans Board scheme.
This was contained in a circular from the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, signed by the Head of Service, Dr. Didi Walson-Jack, and obtained by Hobnob News. The memo stated that the review was part of ongoing efforts to enhance the welfare and well-being of federal workers.
According to the new structure, officers on Grade Level 17 can now access ₦14 million, those on Levels 15 and 16 can receive ₦12 million, Levels 12 to 14 are eligible for ₦10 million, while Levels 8 to 10 can obtain ₦8 million. Officers on Levels 5 to 7 will be able to access ₦6 million, and those on Levels 3 to 4 can receive ₦5 million.
Before the review, the maximum housing loan accessible to the highest-ranking civil servant was ₦15 million.
“In line with the Federal Government’s commitment to improve workers’ welfare, the ceiling for housing loans has been reviewed upwards to help eligible officers acquire personal residential homes in alignment with the government’s housing policy,” the memo stated.
The document, addressed to top government functionaries including the Chief of Staff to the President, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, ministers, service chiefs, and heads of federal commissions, urged interested civil servants to adhere strictly to all application procedures.
The loans are to be repaid over a maximum of 25 years, depending on the applicant’s age. Retirees who exit the service before full repayment are expected to make alternative arrangements to clear outstanding balances, while the board reserves the right to take possession of mortgaged properties if a borrower dies without completing repayment.
Reacting to the development, former National President of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, Tommy Etim, described the policy shift as a long-overdue intervention.
“We met with former President Muhammadu Buhari years ago to advocate for this review,” Etim said. “Before now, the loan amount was too small for meaningful housing projects. This increase is fair and reflects the income brackets across different cadres.”
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