President Bola Tinubu has ordered a comprehensive personnel audit and skills gap analysis across the Federal Civil Service to enhance capacity and overall performance.
He gave the directive on Thursday in Abuja during the opening of the maiden edition of the 2025 International Civil Service Week.
The President stressed the importance of appointing competent individuals to appropriate roles to ensure an efficient and effective public service.
“We can only guarantee a high-performance culture by placing the right people in the right positions,” Tinubu said. “To that end, I have authorised a full personnel audit and skills gap analysis across the Federal Civil Service to build capacity.”
He urged stakeholders to expedite the process to enable timely implementation of reforms aimed at creating a more agile, skilled, and responsive civil service.
Describing the civil service as “the engine room” of public service delivery and governance, Tinubu remarked, “Our civil servants are the quiet architects of stability, innovation, and public trust.”
He noted that the audit was part of a broader initiative to align the civil service with global standards and accelerate its digital transformation.
The President also highlighted the importance of accurate and secure data for evidence-based policymaking and international benchmarking.
“Data is the new oil. Unlike oil, it becomes more valuable when refined and responsibly shared,” he said.
Tinubu directed Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to publish verified data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023.
He acknowledged the progress recorded under the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021–2025 and commended the Head of the Civil Service, Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, for her leadership, especially in digital transformation and staff development.
“The launch of Service-Wise GPT and other innovations reflects exceptional leadership,” he said.
In her remarks, Walson-Jack noted that the conference was fully self-funded through strategic partnerships and creative initiatives. “If Nigeria must lead Africa, our civil service must lead first,” she added.
