By Sofiat Adenekan-Abdul
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Civil Service Commission has announced plans to establish a permanent Computer-Based Test (CBT) centre to improve the conduct of promotion examinations for civil servants and eliminate recurring logistical challenges.
Chairman of the commission, Engr. Emeka Ezeh, disclosed this on Wednesday while monitoring the ongoing 2025 promotion exercise in Abuja. He said the commission has made significant improvements in the examination process but believes a dedicated CBT facility will make future exercises more efficient and seamless.
The promotion exercise, approved by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, is expected to run until July 10, with about 30,000 workers from the Federal Capital Territory Administration participating. According to Ezeh, over 13,000 candidates have already taken the examination since the exercise commenced.
He explained that challenges experienced during previous promotion exercises, including power outages and technical glitches, had been addressed through the use of alternative power sources, ensuring uninterrupted examinations. He added that most of the issues recorded on the opening day were linked to candidates who failed to present original documents required for accreditation.
The commission said commissioners representing the six geopolitical zones are overseeing the process to guarantee fairness and transparency. It also disclosed that the ongoing exercise is part of efforts to clear promotion backlogs from previous years.
Representatives of the Joint Union Action Committee (JUAC) commended the adoption of computer-based testing, describing it as a step towards greater transparency, while calling for more functional computers and technical support. Some candidates also praised the exercise, saying the examination process was orderly and free of major technical difficulties.
