The federal government, through the head of the civil service of the federal government, Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, has called for a transformative movement within civil services globally.
Walson-Jack made this call during the International Civil Service Conference 2025, which kicked off on Wednesday at Eagle Square in Abuja. The federal government, in collaboration with the Global Government Forum UK, hosted the conference.
The event with the theme: Rejuvenate, Innovate, and Accelerate, aims to unite civil service leaders, reform advocates, and policymakers from around the world to discuss and advance public service renewal.
In her welcome address, the head of civil service stated, “We are gathered as reformers, thinkers, practitioners, and doers bound together by a common belief that the civil service remains one of the greatest instruments of national development and global stability.”
Walson-Jack highlighted the inspiration behind the conference, noting that civil service systems around the world, especially in Africa, are at a crucial juncture.
“We inherited these systems from a different era, yet we are compelled to respond to 21st-century challenges like rapid urbanisation, digital disruption, and climate shocks,” she said.
To address these mounting challenges, she introduced the conference’s agenda, which revolves around three crucial themes: rejuvenate, innovate, and accelerate.
“These words are not just themes; they form the core agenda of our discussions,” she said.
She explained that the drive to rejuvenate is aimed at renewing the spirit and structure of the civil service.
“We must attract young talent, empower women and marginalised groups, and rekindle public trust through values-based service,” said Walson-Jack.
The agenda’s innovation aspect encourages rethinking bureaucratic processes. “Bureaucracy must not mean stagnation,” Walson-Jack declared.
She urged delegates to consider how policies can be reshaped to better serve citizens, emphasising the need to harness data and technology effectively.
In discussing the acceleration of efforts for immediate impact, she said, “Time is no longer a luxury. Citizens are waiting, resources are limited, and the climate is changing.”
While outlining Nigeria’s progress in civil service reform, the Head of Civil Service highlighted notable achievements, including process automation and the introduction of a Performance Management System linking individual KPIs to national goals.
She explained that the conference aims to promote global collaboration, spotlight transformational practices, and challenge participants to adopt forward-thinking leadership.
“We aim to redefine public sector performance,” Walson-Jack noted, mentioning successful case studies from Ghana, Kenya, Singapore, and Morocco.
She also stressed the conference’s significance in deepening Nigeria’s reform momentum by taking stock of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021–2025 (FCSSIP 25).
“This meeting will serve as a critical benchmark for our ongoing progress,” she said.
Walson-Jack later turned to the younger generation of civil servants, stating, “You are not the future of public service. You are its present. Your courage will define our success.
“The civil service is not a relic of the past. It is the engine of our future. This conference is a commitment. We will not reform alone; we must rejuvenate, innovate, and accelerate together,” she said.
