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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Olumuyiwa Abel, has urged federal civil servants to move beyond routine administrative duties and prioritise citizens’ needs by delivering responsive, efficient and value-driven services.
Abel said public servants must demonstrate greater empathy, professionalism and commitment to service, stressing that effective service delivery should be measured not merely by the completion of assigned tasks but by the positive impact on citizens.
He gave the charge yesterday in Abuja while declaring open the 2026 Customer Service Week of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), with the theme, “The Extra Mile.”
Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Common Services Office, Danjuma Kalba, the HCSF described the theme as a call for civil servants to go beyond established procedures and focus on the value they create and the experiences they leave with Nigerians.
He said customer service should not be limited to processing official memos, responding to enquiries or completing assigned responsibilities, but must reflect a genuine commitment to achieving meaningful outcomes for citizens.
Abel also charged civil servants to uphold the core values of accountability, meritocracy, professionalism, loyalty and efficiency, noting that the principles must be reflected in their daily conduct, decisions and interactions with members of the public.
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He linked the renewed emphasis on service excellence to the ongoing transformation of the Federal Civil Service under the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan (FCSSIP) 2026–2030, which builds on the achievements and lessons of the 2021–2025 implementation plan.
In her welcome address, the Director, Reform Coordination and Service Improvement Department, Gimbiya Illiyasu, urged participants to identify practical approaches to improving service delivery and ensure that the spirit of going the extra mile outlives the customer service week.
Illiyasu described customer service as a collective responsibility, insisting that it should not be left to any particular department or unit but embraced by every personnel of the federal civil service.
She called for greater collaboration among civil servants to ensure the delivery of timely, quality and efficient services to Nigerians.
The event also featured a group discussion on “Understanding Citizens’ Expectations and Improving Service Delivery,” during which participants examined practical strategies for addressing the gap between public expectations and actual service outcomes.
The discussions highlighted empathy, responsiveness and innovation as critical requirements for strengthening service delivery across the Federal Civil Service.
Permanent Secretaries, Directors, Heads of Departments and Units, as well as other staff of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, attended the event.
