The Emir of Katsina, His Royal Highness Alhaji Abdulmuminin Kabir Usman, has charged Nigerian civil servants to uphold the core values of discipline, patriotism, and diligence in the execution of their duties.
The emir made this call while receiving the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, who led a delegation of Heads of Service from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory on a courtesy visit to his palace.
The visit was part of activities marking a one-day national retreat held in Katsina State.
Speaking during the reception, the emir emphasised the importance of unity among civil servants across Nigeria, highlighting the need for collaborative efforts regardless of the nation’s diversity.
He expressed appreciation for the visit and pledged his continued support for initiatives aimed at strengthening public service.
In her remarks, Mrs. Walson-Jack thanked the emir for the warm reception and hospitality extended to the delegation.
She later addressed participants at the opening of the first-ever National Retreat for Heads of Service from across the country.
Mrs. Walson-Jack stressed the need for a fully digitised, citizen-focused civil service, calling for a shift away from outdated bureaucratic practices towards innovation, accountability, and agile service delivery.
The retreat, themed “The Future of the Nigerian Civil Service: Harnessing Federal-State Collaboration for Accelerated Development,” focused on improving coordination between federal and state institutions to achieve sustainable growth and policy coherence.
She highlighted the benefits of federal-state synergy, noting that previous collaborative engagements have already begun to yield positive results.
As part of reform efforts, she announced the development of several digital tools by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, aimed at enhancing transparency, access to information, and continuous learning.
“These platforms are designed to modernize how public servants interact with policies, regulations, and professional development opportunities,” she explained, urging state governments to adopt and integrate these technologies to boost digital literacy and improve service delivery.
Reflecting on a recent study tour to Singapore involving 21 Heads of Service, Mrs Walson-Jack emphasized the value of global benchmarking in transforming Nigeria’s civil service.
She hinted at ongoing capacity-building programmes and announced that Nigeria will soon host its maiden International Civil Service Conference.
“This event will allow Nigeria to showcase its reform journey while learning from global best practices,” she said, extending an invitation to all state Heads of Service to participate and contribute to shaping conversations on governance across Africa.
