By Jose Oby 
Abuja, Nigeria – The Federal Government has launched an aggressive recovery drive targeting retired civil servants who failed to repay housing loans obtained during their time in public service. The Federal Government Staff Housing Loans Board (FGSHLB) has begun compiling a list of defaulters, with plans to reclaim mortgaged properties in accordance with existing loan agreements.
This development was confirmed in a statement issued on Thursday by the Board’s Head of Information and Public Relations, Ngozi Obiechina. The Executive Secretary of the FGSHLB, Hajiya Salamatu Ladi Ahmed, emphasized that the initiative is aimed at enforcing financial accountability and retrieving government-owned assets from retirees who have defaulted on their obligations.
The move follows a directive issued by the Permanent Secretary, Career Management Office, in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Patience Oyekunle. The circular reiterated that all public servants must obtain a Certificate of Non-Indebtedness from both the Housing Loans Board and their respective MDA Staff Multipurpose Cooperative Society as a mandatory condition for retirement.
“This action is firmly rooted in the Public Service Rules (PSR 021002 (p)), which clearly stipulate that a Certificate of Non-Indebtedness is a prerequisite for final disengagement from service,” Ahmed explained.
She further disclosed that the board is fully prepared to initiate legal proceedings to repossess properties from any retiree who exited the service with outstanding housing loan debts. “The FGSHLB reserves the legal right to recover any mortgaged property where loan obligations remain unfulfilled at the time of retirement,” she said.
Importantly, the crackdown is not limited to recent retirees. The Board has extended the directive to include all former civil servants still indebted to the housing loan scheme. Names of defaulters are currently being compiled and will be submitted to the relevant authorities to expedite debt recovery.
Ahmed urged all affected retirees to urgently regularize their loan status and obtain the required clearance documentation, warning that failure to do so would trigger enforcement actions.
She reiterated the Board’s unwavering commitment to upholding financial discipline, ensuring compliance, and following due process in reclaiming government-issued loans.