The Federal Government has announced a partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to reform and reposition Nigeria’s civil service as a benchmark for excellence in Africa.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Mrs. Didi Walson-Jack, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja at the second day of the maiden International Civil Service Conference, held as part of the 2025 Civil Service Week.
The conference, themed “Rejuvenate, Innovate, Accelerate,” brought together delegates from across Nigeria’s 36 states and several countries, including Canada, Ghana, Morocco, Kenya, Azerbaijan, the UK and US.
“This gathering is historic. We are setting a fresh tone, pace and standard for public service in Nigeria, Africa, and the world,” Walson-Jack said.
She described the civil service as central to national development and praised President Bola Tinubu for his support for ongoing reforms.
Walson-Jack paid tribute to former heads of service, retired permanent secretaries and directors, saying they had laid the foundation for today’s transformation.
A key highlight of the event was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with UNDP. The agreement covers capacity building, institutional performance improvement, and the transformation of the Public Service Institute of Nigeria into a global centre of excellence. It also includes digital transformation initiatives in five pilot states.
Walson-Jack also launched ServiceWise GPT, an AI-powered tool that provides instant, accurate responses to queries on civil service policies, rules, and procedures.
The event featured The Aspire Stage, a youth-led platform spotlighting young civil servants’ ideas to shape the future of public service.
“This platform is about inclusion—allowing young voices to shape the future, not just preparing them for it,” she said.
She urged civil servants to embrace innovation and transparency in pursuit of a more citizen-centred public service.
“This is our moment. Let us rejuvenate, innovate and accelerate—for Nigeria, for Africa, and for the world,” she concluded.
