By Emmanuella Oghenetega
The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Didi Esther Walson-Jack has led a renewed national drive for far-reaching Public Service reforms at the 47th National Council on Establishments (NCE) in Kano.
The forum, which convened Heads of Service from the 36 States and the FCT together with senior Federal Government officials, reaffirmed a shared commitment to strengthening collaboration and advancing a unified, future-ready, and innovation-driven Nigerian Civil Service.
Delivering her keynote remarks, the HCSF expressed deep appreciation to the Government and people of Kano State for their exceptional hospitality and unwavering support to national development. She praised Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf, Governor of Kano State, for hosting the Council and also commended the Kano State Head of Service, Alhaji Abdullahi Musa, describing him as a valued member of the Body of Heads of the Civil Service of Nigeria.
While reiterating that the success of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda rests heavily on an agile, competent, and ethical Public Service, the HCSF highlighted the significance of the NCE as the apex forum for establishment matters.
She explained that its deliberations are critical to shaping the policies, structures, and professional standards of Nigeria’s Public Service.
Mrs Walson-Jack emphasised the urgent need for greater coordination and harmonised standards across the federation. She noted that Nigeria’s size and complexity demand a unified reform agenda that aligns Federal and State efforts, ensuring consistent service delivery, accountability, and improved national performance.
She commended the recent unprecedented collaboration that had taken place between the Federal Civil Service and State Civil Services through joint capacity-building programmes, peer-learning retreats, reform dialogues, and harmonised policy initiatives. Stating that the synergy has strengthened nationwide reforms and created a shared vision for Public Service renewal.
Reflecting on the progress of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021–2025 (FCSSIP25), the HCSF reported significant achievements in digitalisation, human resource transformation, performance management, staff welfare, innovation, and cultural reorientation.
Mrs Walson-Jack reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to achieving a fully paperless Civil Service by 31 December 2025 through the adoption of the Enterprise Content Management System (ECMS), which will facilitate digital workflow and enhance efficiency and transparency across Ministries.
Speaking, the Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Kabir Abba Yusuf, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim, noted that this year’s meeting is a crucial national dialogue on the future of the Nigerian Civil Service, its spirit, capacity, and centrality to the nation’s democracy and development.
He commended the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation for her transformative leadership, which he said has fostered unprecedented harmony and created valuable platforms for professional exchange between the Federal Civil Service and the State Civil Services, thereby strengthening governance structures across the federation.
The Governor formally declared the Council open, after which members commenced preliminary deliberations. The discussions will continue tomorrow with the consideration of the Council memos.
