Civil Service Must Drive National Transformation, Says Tinubu

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has charged Nigeria’s Civil Service to abandon its traditional passivity and assume a central role in the country’s transformation agenda.

Speaking at the opening of the maiden International Civil Service Conference in Abuja on Thursday, Tinubu asserted that bureaucratic inertia must give way to a digital, innovative, and performance-driven system in line with his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

“This conference must not be a talk shop. The Civil Service is not a supporting actor; it is the platform through which our national transformation will be delivered. We must rejuvenate, innovate, and accelerate. The time to act is now,” Tinubu declared.

Themed “Rejuvenate, Innovate & Accelerate!”, the global gathering has drawn public sector leaders from the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Ghana, Morocco, Kenya, Azerbaijan, and others — positioning Nigeria at the forefront of civil service reform in Africa.

President Tinubu announced sweeping reforms, including a comprehensive personnel audit and a skills gap analysis across the Federal Civil Service, to root out inefficiencies and elevate governance standards.

He also directed all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to collect, safeguard, and publish data in compliance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act, describing data as “the new oil” for driving evidence-based policy.

He further urged the publication of verified national datasets on international platforms to strengthen Nigeria’s global visibility and reputation.

“We must let our data speak for us, within Nigeria and to the world. Global benchmarking must reflect our progress in real time,” Tinubu said.

The President praised the leadership of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, whose stewardship he said has propelled key reforms under the 2021–2025 Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, including the rollout of Service-Wise GPT, a homegrown AI tool to boost productivity and responsiveness in public service.

Tinubu also highlighted new welfare initiatives under his administration—including the minimum wage increase and approval of the pension bond scheme—as social compacts that reflect respect for the sacrifices of Nigerian workers.

Walson-Jack, in her address, said the Civil Service must no longer lag behind global trends, but lead boldly with discipline, vision, and innovation. She described the conference as a “historic turning point” in Nigeria’s governance journey.

“Public service is not a relic of the past; it is the key to our future. If Nigeria must lead Africa, then the Nigerian Civil Service must lead the way,” she said.

She revealed that the conference was fully self-funded through partnerships and corporate support, and has already secured major wins, including a Memorandum of Understanding with the United Nations Development Programme to transform the Public Service Institute of Nigeria into a global centre for institutional excellence and innovation.

Walson-Jack also unveiled the Aspire Stage, a dedicated platform for young civil servants to pitch transformative ideas, ensuring that the next generation plays a direct role in shaping public service delivery.

United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed, in a keynote message, echoed the urgency of reform.

“The call to rejuvenate, innovate, and accelerate public service is more pressing than ever. Public servants are the frontline soldiers in the delivery of peace, justice, and development,” she said.

She urged Nigeria and other nations to professionalise civil service, invest in digital tools, and ensure inclusion and accountability as the world races to meet the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.