President Bola Tinubu, on Thursday in Abuja, described the Nigerian civil service as the backbone of any effective administration, extolling the invaluable roles they play as the engine room through which government is able to deliver public goods and programmes.
President Tinubu spoke as he declared open the maiden International Civil Service Conference in Abuja as part of the 2025 Civil Service Week, organised by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
In a statement by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, the President said it was imperative for government to ensure that the right people with the right competencies were put in positions for an efficient public service.
“Civil servants, you are not just the backbone of effective administration across borders but the very essence of it. Your role as the quiet architects of stability, innovation, and public trust is invaluable.
“The Civil Service, as the vehicle through which the government delivers public goods, has steered us through economic cycles, constitutional transitions, and social democratic consolidation. Today, we stand on the sturdy foundation our predecessors built, and your leadership and stakeholder roles remain crucial and integral in modernising and fortifying the Civil Service for generations unborn.
“We can only guarantee the high-performance culture our country deserves by placing the right people in the right roles. To this end, I have authorised a comprehensive Personnel Audit and Skills Gap Analysis across the Federal Civil Service to deepen capacity. I urge all responsible stakeholders to prioritise the timely completion of this critical exercise to begin implementing targeted reforms and realise the full benefits of a more agile, competent, and responsive Civil Service,” the President stated.
President Tinubu said that the Civil Service Conference resonates with his administration’s vision for a public service that aligns with global best practices and conforms with today’s digital transformation.
“This maiden conference, with the theme “Rejuvenate, Innovate & Accelerate” is timely, apt and compelling. It captures our collective ambition to reimagine and reposition the Service. In today’s rapidly evolving world of technology, innovation remains critical in ensuring that the Civil Service is a dynamic, digital, ethical, and globally competitive institution. An innovative Civil Service ensures we meet today’s needs and overcome tomorrow’s challenges.
“This vision aligns with our Renewed Hope Agenda, a comprehensive roadmap for building a secure, inclusive, and prosperous Nigeria. At the heart of this Agenda is a Public Service that works efficiently and effectively for every Nigerian. A revitalised Civil Service is not a supporting actor but the central platform for delivering national transformation and the Renewed Hope Agenda, a future we can all look forward to with optimism. Your role in this transformation is indispensable,” he said.
On his administration’s effort towards enhanced and vibrant workforce, the President declared that the administration had prioritised key welfare policies to improve the wellbeing of staff. He added that the new national minimum wage, the consequential adjustments to salaries arising from the new minimum wage, and the approval of the Pension Bond Scheme, were some of the instruments to boost morale of the workforce.
President Tinubu spoke on the imperative of data gathering and management by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) for people–centred and evidence-based governance.
“Accurate, secure, and sovereign data is the lifeblood of every reform we pursue. Data is the new oil, but unlike oil, its value increases the more it is refined and responsibly shared. I therefore direct all Ministries, Extra-Ministerial Departments, and Agencies to capture information rigorously, safeguard it under the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023, and release it swiftly for public value, ensuring the highest data protection and privacy standards.
“We must let our Data speak for us. We must publish verified datasets within Nigeria and share them in internationally recognised repositories. This will allow global benchmarking organisations to track our progress in real-time and help us strengthen our position on the world stage,” he further stated.
President Tinubu commended the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Esther Walson – Jack, for organizing the conference, noting that its theme aligned with his administration’s commitment to transforming all sectors of the Nigerian economy.
He lauded her dogged pursuit of the implementation of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021-2025, marked by milestones such as digitalising work processes, continuous learning initiatives, and launching Service-Wise GPT as hallmarks of outstanding leadership.
The President also appreciated international partners, especially, the United Nations, the Government of the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom for their continued support in capacity development, affirming their impact on Nigeria’s public service.
Earlier in her address, Didi Esther Walson – Jack noted that the Civil Service was central to national development, arguing that “if Nigeria must lead Africa, then our Civil Service must lead the way; this is our purpose for gathering today, declaring that she was “proud to say that this conference is already a model of innovation fully self -funded through collaborations, strategic partnership, resourcefulness with the overwhelming support from the corporate bodies and individuals.”
There were goodwill messages from Rt Hon. The Lord O’Donnell, former Cabinet Secretary and Head of the UK Civil Service, Amina Mohammed, United Nations Deputy Secretary General, David DaCosta Archer Jnr, Deputy Governor of the Virgin Island, and Dr Richard Montgomery, British High Commissioner to Nigeria.
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