- After CBT assessment exercise
Akwa Ibom State governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has approved the disbursement of N50,000 to each of the 33,461 applicants who participated in the just-concluded Computer-Based Test (CBT) for the civil service recruitment, a palliative gesture amounting to over N1.6 billion.
The governor announced the decision on Thursday after receiving a briefing from the Commissioner for Science and Digital Economy, Dr Frank Ekpenyong, on the outcome of the exercise.
In a statement issued by the Government House Press Unit on Friday, Governor Eno said the transport rebate was introduced to cushion the expenses incurred by applicants who travelled for the test.
“People don’t come for interviews and walk away with nothing. Let them get the fifty thousand naira they spent on transport and lunch”, he said.
The CBT, which ran from November 4, 2025, took place at the newly upgraded Civil Service Auditorium in Uyo. The facility now hosts over 400 new computers, enhanced networking infrastructure and a stable power supply, upgrades officials say ensured a transparent, technology-driven recruitment process.
Governor Eno also directed that candidates who did not meet the minimum cut-off score be enrolled into the Dakkada Skills Acquisition Programme, explaining that while the state cannot employ all applicants, its ongoing infrastructure projects require a steady pool of trained manpower.
“We cannot absorb everyone into the civil service, but our numerous projects need trained manpower. That’s why skills training remains a viable pathway to meaningful income”, he said.
According to the governor, oral interviews for 12,000 applicants who scored between 50 and 90 per cent will run from January to February 2026. He ordered the immediate constitution of a committee to manage the interview and final screening process, adding that 4,000 successful candidates are expected to receive employment letters by the first week of March 2026.
“We need four thousand now. Next time we need one thousand, we simply select from this database. So, there is hope”, he added.
Eno further directed the creation of a digital database for remaining qualified candidates, assuring them of priority consideration in future recruitment within the next two to three years.
Earlier, Ekpenyong disclosed that 37,314 persons applied for the recruitment, with 33,461 sitting for the CBT. Of that number, 12,502 candidates scored 50 percent or higher.
He added that Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) were allotted one hour instead of the standard 40 minutes for the test, noting that only one PWD candidate scored up to 60 percent, while two exceptional candidates from the general pool scored as high as 90 percent.