From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Walson-Jack, has described the civil service as the “engine room of national development,” emphasizing that “without it, no meaningful progress can be achieved.”
Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), Mahmuda Mamman, she stated this in an address at a special Juma’at prayer held on Friday at the National Mosque, Abuja, ahead of the 2025 Civil Service, and stressed that the civil service is the crucial mechanism through which government policies are translated into tangible outcomes affecting healthcare, education, infrastructure, and security.
Walson-Jack noted that year’s Civil Service Week theme, “Rejuvenate. Innovate. Accelerate,” reflects ongoing reform efforts under the Federal Civil Service Strategic Implementation Plan (FCSSIP 2025). The reforms, she said aim to make the civil service more transparent, accountable, efficient, and productive, with digitalization playing a key role in eliminating bureaucratic bottlenecks and enhancing integrity in public processes. “These pillars are not just bureaucratic concepts. They align with the vision of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. We are focused on making the service EPIC—Efficient, Productive, Incorruptible, and Citizen-centred,” she said.
She also highlighted Nigeria’s collaboration with international partners such as the UAE, Singapore, and the United Kingdom to adopt global best practices, thereby positioning the civil service to be more value-driven and results-oriented.
In his sermon, Imam of the National Mosque, Khalid Aliyu, urged civil servants and government leaders to uphold integrity and shun corruption, reminding them that “the civil service is the face of government to the ordinary citizen.”
He called for prioritizing workers’ welfare and professional development, noting that well-supported civil servants are more likely to serve with dedication and patriotism.