Nigeria’s Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, on Wednesday noted that most civil services worldwide, especially in Africa, are presently at crossroad.
Despite saddled with the responsibility of meeting up with 21st-century challenges, she said the systems they inherited were forged in different past era.
Speaking in Abuja at the International Civil Service Conference (ICSC) 2025, the HCSF said, it is been organised to take such civil service in the continent off crossroads to the path of reforms and progress.
To drastically change the situation, she said, the systems must be rejuvenated, innovated and accelerated.
She said "I welcome each and every one of you to the heart of Nigeria our capital city, Abuja for the inaugural International Civil Service Conference, proudly hosted by the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in collaboration with our esteemed partners at the Global Government Forum UK.
"Today we are launching a movement, a movement of renewal, creativity, and bold progress in public service. We are gathered as reformers, thinkers, practitioners, and doers bound together by a common belief that the civil service remains one of the greatest instruments of national development and global stability.
"This conference was born from a shared recognition, that across the world, and particularly in Africa, the civil service is at a crossroads.
"The systems we inherited were forged in a different era and yet, we are compelled to respond to 21st-century challenges, rapid urbanization, digital disruption, climate shocks, global pandemics, complex citizen demands, and now, the generational call for equity, inclusion, and climate justice.
"To address this moment, we must rejuvenate, innovate and accelerate! These three words are not just the theme of this conference. They are its agenda." she stated.
Explaining what to Rejuvenate entails in the theme, the HCSF said it is about renew the spirit, skills, and structure of the civil service.
"This means attracting young talent, building leadership pipelines, empowering women and marginalized groups, and rekindling public trust through values-based service."
For 'Innovate', she said that bureaucracy must not mean stagnation and that there must be rethinking how policies are made, how services are delivered, and how data and technology are harnessed to serve the people better.
Also speaking on 'Accelerate', she said time is no longer a luxury as citizens are waiting, climate is changing and resources are limited.
"We must move from plans to implementation from ideas to measurable change and do so with urgency." she stated.
She took time to highlight the progress made in the Nigeria's Civil Service Reform system and the commitments ahead.
"We are automating our processes, transitioning to a paperless service through the deployment of an Enterprise Content Management System (ECMS);
"We have introduced a Performance Management System that links individual KPIs to national goals;
"We are retooling our training institutions, particularly the Public Service Institute of Nigeria and the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria for digital, high-impact capability building."
According to her, they are not mere aspirations, but deliverables.
Speaking further on the objectives of the Conference, she said "To Foster Global Collaboration and Connectivity. This conference brings together civil service leaders, reform champions, policymakers, and development partners from Africa, Europe, Asia, and across the globe.
"It provides a rare opportunity to exchange ideas, build bridges across borders, and explore shared challenges with a unified commitment to public sector excellence.
"To Spotlight Transformational Practices That Deliver Results. From Ghana's citizen-centered e-governance, to Kenya's institutional accountability frameworks, Singapore's Al-powered service architecture, and Morocco's integrated digital identity and public service delivery reforms, we are showcasing models that are redefining public sector performance."
She said that delegates will engage with tested innovations and explore how to adapt them to their unique national context.
To Catalyze Bold, Forward-Thinking Leadership, Mrs Walson-Jack said the civil service must become a platform for creative, agile, and resilient governance.
To this end, she said that the conference challenges participants to reimagine leadership where innovation is not an afterthought, but a core strategy.
The HCSF said that sessions will explore emerging frontiers: Al, climate-responsive administration, citizen-driven design, and agile policy delivery.
She explained that the conference towards deepening and accelerating Nigeria's Reform Momentum serves as a critical stocktaking moment for the implementation of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021-2025 (FCSSIP 25).
According to her, it will highlight progress made in performance management, digitalization, leadership development, and institutional strengthening, while mapping a path for what must follow.
The objective, she said, is also to Forge Enduring Partnerships for Reform Implementation
"This is not just a learning event; it is a catalyst for real-world action. Through MoU signings, roundtables, and networking platforms, the conference will foster strategic alliances including bilateral, multilateral, and regional partnerships to support reform implementation, knowledge transfer, and resource mobilization.
She also informed the young people in the civil service, gender equality advocates, data scientists and policy designers that they are not the future of public service, but its present.
"Your creativity, your courage, and your conviction are what will define whether we succeed in rejuvenating, innovating, and accelerating the transformation we seek", she stated
Concluding her remarks, she said "The Civil Service is not a relic of the past. It is the engine of our future. That engine must be rebuilt, not with rusted tools and rigid thinking, but with the fuel of bold ideas, diverse minds, and inclusive purpose.
"This conference is a declaration that business as usual is no longer acceptable. It is a commitment that we will not reform alone. It is a signal that we are ready to rejuvenate, to innovate, and to accelerate." she said
After the opening session, the conference broke into various plenary sessions.