Daniel Otera
A comprehensive analysis of the 2025 Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB) by The Journal Nigeria recruitment data reveals a striking geographical pattern in job-seeking behaviour, with northern states accounting for the largest share of applications amongst Nigeria’s unemployment-weary population.
According to official figures published on the CDCFIB website, 1,911,141 Nigerians submitted applications before the portal closure on Monday, August 11, 2025. The data shows Kogi State leading with 116,162 applications, followed by Kaduna with 114,536 applicants, and Benue recording 110,565 applications.
The recruitment exercise, originally scheduled to commence on June 26, encountered significant technical challenges that resulted in multiple postponements and portal crashes, ultimately requiring a one-week extension from the initial August 4 deadline.
Analysis of the application data reveals pronounced regional variations that mirror Nigeria’s economic and employment landscape. The five states with the highest application numbers Kogi, Kaduna, Benue, Kano, and Niger collectively contributed 510,174 applications, representing 26.7% of the total pool.
In stark contrast, southern states recorded significantly lower application rates. Lagos State, Nigeria’s commercial hub with an estimated population of over 20 million, recorded only 14,216 applications.
Similarly, Bayelsa registered 11,669 applications, making it the state with the lowest participation rate in the federal recruitment exercise.
Rivers State, despite its significant oil industry presence, recorded 22,210 applications, whilst Ebonyi contributed 23,601 and Delta State registered 27,962 applications. These five states combined accounted for merely 99,658 applications, representing just 5.2% of the total.
The massive response to the CDCFIB recruitment is unfolding against the backdrop of Nigeria’s persistent unemployment concerns. According to Trading Economics, the country’s youth unemployment rate stood at 6.50 percent in the second quarter of 2024, a decline from 8.40 percent recorded in the first quarter of the year.
Figures from the World Bank present a slightly lower annual estimate of 5.05 percent for 2024 (source), while Afrobarometer cites National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) data placing the rate at 6.5 percent for the same year a figure released after a change in methodology that has drawn some debate among labour analysts.
However, the National Bureau of Statistics indicates that Nigeria’s broader unemployment landscape remains concerning. The unemployment rate among youth aged 15-24 years in Q2 2023 was 7.2%, having increased from 6.9% in Q1 2023, according to NBS data.
Despite recent improvements in official unemployment statistics, where Nigeria’s overall unemployment rate decreased to 4.30% in Q2 2024 from 5.30% in Q1 2024, the limited formal employment opportunities continue to drive intense competition for government positions. According to employment statistics, only 14.4% of employed persons were in paid jobs, reflecting the scarcity of formal employment opportunities across the country.
The 2025 CDCFIB recruitment represents one of the federal government’s largest employment drives in recent years. According to recruitment documentation, the exercise aims to recruit 30,150 personnel across the four services Civil Defence, Correctional Service, Fire Service, and Immigration along with 209 additional staff for the CDCFIB Secretariat.
The recruitment includes provisions for specialised positions, particularly doctors and nurses for the Nigerian Correctional Service, addressing critical healthcare gaps within the correctional system.
Technical challenges that plagued the application process highlighted the infrastructure limitations affecting large-scale digital initiatives. The portal experienced repeated crashes and temporary suspensions, necessitating multiple deadline extensions and public advisories from the board.
The geographical distribution of applications provides insights into regional economic conditions and employment opportunities. Northern states, which traditionally have higher unemployment rates and limited industrial development, demonstrated significantly higher application rates.
Kogi State’s leading position with 116,162 applications reflects the state’s limited private sector employment opportunities and high youth unemployment. The state’s economy, primarily dependent on agriculture and small-scale commerce, provides few formal employment alternatives for graduates and job seekers.
Kaduna State’s 114,536 applications correspond with the state’s significant population and the decline of its once-thriving textile and manufacturing industries. The closure of major industrial concerns over the past decade has increased dependence on government employment opportunities.
Conversely, Lagos State’s relatively low application rate of 14,216, despite its massive population, suggests greater availability of private sector employment opportunities in Nigeria’s commercial capital.
The CDCFIB addressed multiple technical difficulties during the application period. Portal crashes and system failures resulted in frustrated applicants and required intervention from technical support teams.
According to official communications from the board, the technical glitches necessitated not only deadline extensions but also enhanced server capacity to accommodate the unprecedented volume of applications.
The board issued several public advisories warning applicants against fraudulent messages from unauthorised parties attempting to exploit desperate job seekers.
“The attention of the Board has been drawn to the mischievous messages sent from unknown parties to unsuspecting applicants,” the board stated on its official website.
With applications now closed, the CDCFIB has outlined the subsequent phases of the recruitment process. According to official communications posted on the board’s social media platforms, shortlisted candidates will receive notifications through email and text messages.
“Shortlisted candidates will be contacted shortly with further instructions. Please monitor your email and text messages over the coming weeks for notifications,” the board announced on its official X account.
The board emphasised the importance of applicants regularly checking the official portal and social media channels for authentic updates, whilst warning against fraudulent communications from unauthorised sources.
The overwhelming response to the CDCFIB recruitment underscores the urgent need for comprehensive employment creation strategies beyond government positions. With nearly 2 million applications for approximately 30,000 positions, the competition ratio exceeds 63 applicants per available position.
The geographical distribution patterns revealed in the application data provide valuable insights for policy makers regarding regional economic development priorities. Northern states’ dominance in applications suggests the need for targeted private sector investment and industrial development programmes in these regions.
The technical challenges encountered during the application process also highlight the necessity for robust digital infrastructure to support large-scale government initiatives, particularly as Nigeria continues digital transformation efforts across various sectors.
The stark contrast between northern and southern application rates reflects broader economic disparities that require policy attention. States with lower application rates, particularly in the South-South and South-West regions, benefit from oil industry presence and more diversified economies.
However, the high application rates from northern states indicate limited alternative employment opportunities and suggest areas where federal and state governments might focus economic development initiatives.
The 2025 CDCFIB recruitment data provides a unique window into Nigeria’s employment landscape, revealing both the scale of job-seeking pressure and the geographical patterns that reflect underlying economic conditions across the federation.
As the selection process proceeds, these insights will remain relevant for understanding Nigeria’s ongoing employment challenges and the regional variations that characterise the country’s labour market dynamics.