*Rolls Out Programme For 2025 African Public Service Day, Civil Service Week
The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, on Wednesday assured that the Federal Civil Service is working assiduously to achieve a digitalized and paperless service latest by 31st December, 2025.
She gave the assurance in Abuja during interactive session with journalists at the World Press Conference on the Commemoration of the 2025 African Public Service Day
and the Civil Service Week.
According to her, eleven Ministries have so far become paperless in their operations, while others are at various levels of implementation.
The HCSF also explained that the service is helping the Ministries having funding challenges hampering their implementation with partners that will provide the funds.
She said "You know, at the beginning of this year, we realized that the strategy plan, the FC 25 ends this year precisely December 31 of this year. And we said to ourselves, we must accelerate the implementation of all the pillars of reform of that plan. And one of the key pillars of that plan is digitalization.
"And so we are saying to all the MDAs, you have to go paperless, and we are not saying what we are not doing or experiencing. Because I'm happy to let you know that even before I came on board, the Office of the head of the civil service of the Federation has been paperless.
"So what they are doing is to accelerate the digital transformation. And I'm happy to let you know that it was only last week that I was in the Federal Ministry of Health to launch their enterprise content management system, and they became the 11th ministry and Inter-Ministerial department to become paperless." she added
Continuing, Mrs Walson-Jack said "And so the the question is, what happens to the others. Now we are pushing them. The other are at different levels of implementation, some have funding problems, and with that, we were able to get our partners to fund some of these ministries. And so the race to December 31 is on.
"And so to answer your question, the civil service, by the grace of God, and with our working very hard, will go paperless by December 31 2025." the HCSF stated
She pointed out that digital transformation is not only about going paperless as it entails more issues.
"Because going paperless means that we are automating our work processes and our workloads. But we want to go beyond that, and so if you recollect, in my first 100 days, we launched some digital platforms, and I would like to remind you of those platforms, because those platforms were launched in a bid to ensure the digital transformation of the federal civil service."
She disclosed that partners are doing a lot on digital literacy as they are committed to training the Civil Servants.
Stressing that the partners have started training 600 Civil servants, she said that the Federal Civil Service has gone further by training them on Artificial Intelligence (AI).
"We are very much on top of digital literacy." she stated.
The HCSF noted that 31,000 Civil servants have their official emails, which she said resulted from the war rooms.
The study tour to Singapore, according to her, which was a collaboration between the Federal Civil Service and 36 state civil services, is already yielding many benefits.
"Benefits of the Singapore tour was to share knowledge and see first hand global best practices. It was like a benchmarking exercise. It was an exercise to upgrade our own services." she said
Since the tour, she noted that many State Civil Services have began to do things differently, carrying out various programmes and engaging more with the Federal Civil Service.
The HCSF disclosed that 5,000 delegates are expected in Abuja for the 2025 African Public Service Day and the Civil Service Week
The events slated from Friday, 20th to Saturday, 28th June 2025 in Abuja, she said, will be declared open by President Bola Tinubu.
HCSF said "African Public Service Day: A Continental Legacy. As you may know, African Public Service Day was adopted at the 1994 Pan-African Conference of Ministers in Tangier, Morocco. It is celebrated across the continent on the 23rd of June to honour public service values, promote professional excellence, and showcase public sector innovation.
"In alignment with Agenda 2063 of the African Union, Nigeria commemorates this day with a week-long series of events to celebrate achievements and stimulate forward-looking policy dialogue. This year, we are incorporating the African Public Service Day into our Civil Service Week and taking the celebration to new heights."
Reeling out the programme, Mrs Walson-Jack said "The Federal and State Civil Services will commemorate the African Public Service Day and the Nigerian Civil Service Week, from Friday, 20th to Saturday, 28th June 2025. In the same week, a historic inaugural International Civil Service Conference will be held in Abuja, Nigeria, from 25th to 26th June 2025.
"These events represent a defining moment in our ongoing journey to reposition the Nigerian Civil Service as a 21st-century engine for national development, regional and international leadership.
"The 2025 Civil Service Week, a significant event in our calendar, will feature a series of spiritually enriching, intellectually engaging, and socially rewarding events designed to celebrate excellence in public service, reflect on reforms, and promote a unified vision for a stronger Civil Service.
"The programme line-up includes the commissioning of the remodelled Reception for the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, a Special Juma’at Prayer at the National Mosque, a Thanksgiving Service at the Family Worship Centre, Wuye, and a Study Tour of the Federal Civil Service and Abuja by State’s Heads of Civil Service.
"A Welcome Cocktail for ICSC Speakers, Wellness Activities, and a Social Get-together for Civil Servants are some of the other activities.
"The meat of the Week would be the two-day International Civil Service Conference (ICSC). The week would be rounded off with a Rewards and Recognition Awards Ceremony."
The Study Tour for the State’s Heads of Service, she said, will provide a valuable platform to exchange reform ideas and share innovative strategies, thereby deepening federal-state collaboration in advancing the quality and integrity of public administration.
Noting that the centrepiece of this year’s celebration is the International Civil Service Conference, she said, "This transformative event, themed "Rejuvenate, Innovate & Accelerate!", will convene public service leaders, reformers, and stakeholders from across Africa and the world to share insights, promote innovation, and build stronger governance systems. It is a platform for change and progress.
"The ICSC will welcome delegates with a Cocktail party on Tuesday evening, June 24th. His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, will declare the Conference open on Wednesday, June 25th, 2025, at Eagle Square, Abuja. A total of 5,000 delegates and participants are expected at the Conference.
"Key features of the ICSC include:
Keynote presentations by renowned international and local reformers
Strategic panel discussions and interactive roundtables
Dedicated stage for Young Public Servants
Special recognition of all former Heads of the Civil Service of the Federation
MOU Signing Ceremony
Exhibitions from over 100 public and private organisations
Participation of State Heads of Service, Senior Civil Servants, thought leaders, development partners, and captains of industry."
The HCSF said that the confirmed speakers for the ICSC included a diverse group of speakers from the United Kingdom, Azerbaijan, Singapore, Ghana, Nigeria and others.
"The ICSC will serve as a premier platform for:
Cross-border knowledge exchange on reform practices
Digital transformation and the adoption of innovative technologies in governance
Public-Private engagements and partnerships
Institutional collaboration across national and continental boundaries
Citizen-centred service delivery and performance-driven
leadership"
Hosting the ICSC directly, she said, expresses Nigeria’s commitment to the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan (FCSSIP25), with its core pillars of Capability Building, Performance Management, and Digitalisation.
According to her, it also aligns with key provisions of the 2021 Public Service Rules.
Noting that by hosting the Conference, Nigeria reaffirms its leadership in shaping Africa's accountable, innovative, and citizen-responsive public service ecosystem, she expressed appreciation to partners and sponsors.
Speaking earlier, the Permanent Secretary Service Policies and Strategies Office, Dr Deborah Odoh, noted that the vision is to have a World class service.
She commended the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack for her exceptional leadership since assuming office.
According to her, new transformative innovations have been introduced since she came on board.