<P> In August 2009 the Head of the Civil Service, Stephen Osagiede Oronsaye, proposed reforms where permanent secretaries and directors would spend a maximum of eight years in office . The reform, approved by President Umaru Yar'Adua, would result in massive retirement of Permanent Secretaries and Directors, many of whom are from the North . Stephen Oronsaye has said that his goal is for the Nigerian civil service to be among the best organized and managed in the world . Oronsaye retired in November 2010 at the statutory age of 60 and was succeeded by Oladapo Afolabi . </P> <P> The civil service is mainly organized around the federal ministries, headed by a minister appointed by the President of Nigeria, who must include at least one member of each of the 36 states in his cabinet . The President's appointments are confirmed by the Senate of Nigeria . There are less than 36 ministries . In some cases a Federal minister is responsible for more than one ministry (e.g. Environment and Housing may be combined) and a minister may be assisted by one or more ministers of State . Each ministry also has a Permanent Secretary, who is a senior civil servant . The ministries are responsible for various (parastatals (government - owned corporations) such as universities (Education), National Broadcasting Commission, Information and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation . Other parastatals are the responsibility of the Office of the Presidency, such as the Independent National Electoral Commission, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Federal Civil Service Commission . The service has six additional units which provide services to all departments on the Civil Service: </P> <Ul> <Li> Establishments & Record Office (E&RO) </Li> <Li> Career Management Office (CMO) </Li> <Li> Manpower Development Office (MDO) </Li> <Li> Management Services Office (MSO) </Li> <Li> Common Services Office (CSO) </Li> <Li> Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR) </Li> </Ul> <Li> Establishments & Record Office (E&RO) </Li>

Total number of federal government workers in nigeria