President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the immediate commencement of a comprehensive personnel audit and skills gap analysis across all levels of the federal civil service.
The directive was issued on Thursday during the opening session of the International Civil Service Conference held in Abuja. The President emphasized that the initiative is part of his administration’s efforts to ensure a more efficient and professional public service capable of delivering on national development goals.
“I have authorised a thorough personnel audit and skills gap analysis throughout the federal civil service to enhance capacity,” Tinubu stated. “I urge all stakeholders to ensure the timely completion of this vital exercise, as it will pave the way for meaningful reforms and result in a more agile, competent, and responsive service.”
In a further move to improve governance outcomes, the President instructed all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to prioritise data integrity and national data sovereignty. He stressed the importance of managing and publishing government data in accordance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023.
“We must allow verified data to speak for us,” Tinubu said. “Data assets should be documented, protected, and strategically published within Nigeria. This will allow international benchmarking institutions to monitor our progress in real-time and improve our global standing, while also preserving privacy and upholding national data sovereignty.”
The President described the civil service as the “engine room” of his Renewed Hope Agenda, and a key driver of sustainable development in Nigeria. He noted that in the face of a rapidly evolving digital and economic environment, the civil service must remain adaptable, innovative, and performance-oriented.
“This inaugural civil service conference marks a bold step toward redefining governance in an era of swift transformation,” he said. “An innovative and digital-driven civil service is critical to addressing today’s challenges and preparing for the demands of the future.”
In her welcome address, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Didi Walson-Jack, thanked President Tinubu for his unwavering support and recognition of the public service. She noted that his encouragement had significantly boosted the morale of civil servants nationwide.
Walson-Jack praised the President as a “pillar” of the ongoing transformation in the civil service, and highlighted that lessons from study tours to Singapore, the UK, and the US were already producing measurable results.
She assured Tinubu that the civil service, under her leadership and in partnership with reform-oriented stakeholders, remained committed to fully implementing the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2025 (FCSSIP 25).
According to her, the focus areas of the strategy is digitalisation, performance management, and continuous learning which are essential to achieved improved accountability, transparency, and effective service delivery across MDAs.
“We are determined to exceed expectations,” Walson-Jack affirmed. “By fostering a culture of innovation, ethical leadership, and citizen-centred governance, we aim to embed excellence at the core of public administration.”
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