Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak revealed on Wednesday that while over 105,000 applicants have qualified for the medical screening stage of the national security recruitment exercise, only 5,000 positions are available.
Speaking to the press following parliamentary proceedings on March 11, the Minister noted that the massive pool of candidates emerged after the completion of online aptitude tests for various security agencies. He cautioned that despite many individuals potentially passing the upcoming medical exams, the government’s intake capacity remains strictly limited.
“We still have 105,000 who have qualified for medicals. In reality, the total number we can take after medicals is 5,000, so we still face a huge challenge,” Mr. Mohammed-Mubarak stated.
The Minister attributed the restricted numbers to current fiscal constraints under the International Monetary Fund (IMF) program. However, he offered reassurances to those who may not make the final cut this year, noting that the government plans to utilize the existing data for future recruitment cycles.
According to the Minister, the President has issued directives to preserve the records of all candidates who pass the medical phase. This data will serve as a primary resource for the next recruitment drive, expected once the country’s economic situation improves.
“But the President has instructed that those who qualify and pass medicals, let’s keep their data. This is the first phase. The current recruitment is for 2025. Hopefully, when we are out of the IMF programme, we will conduct the 2026 recruitment and draw from the same pool of applicants,” he explained.
Mr. Mohammed-Mubarak concluded by affirming the government’s intention to expand opportunities within the security services as the national budget allows for greater absorption of qualified youth.