The Federal Government has restated its commitment to delivering a more efficient, people-centred and incorruptible civil service by strengthening collaboration across all tiers of government.

Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack, said this during a networking dinner hosted in partnership with the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) in Abuja, as part of the ongoing International Civil Service Week celebrations.

Walson-Jack, while speaking on the theme “Leveraging Technology for a Smarter and Larger Public Service,” underscored the pivotal role civil servants play in upholding governance structures at both federal and sub-national levels. She said the occasion served as a platform to honour excellence and foster stronger bonds within the civil service community.

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, while acknowledging the shared nature of challenges, such as recruitment, capacity building, and performance management, emphasised the need for intentional collaboration.

“Ours is a responsibility that demands not only knowledge and skill but also tenacity and a deep commitment to public service. We are stronger when we learn from one another, collaborate more intentionally, and move forward together.

“Together, we are building a civil service that is efficient, productive, incorruptible, and citizen-centred,” she said. Also, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, in his remark, lauded the civil service for its indispensable role in national development. He described the dinner as a fitting tribute to civil servants who remain the engine room of governance, institutional memory, and policy continuity.

Akume stressed the need for civil service transformation in line with global best practices, even as he reaffirmed the Federal Government’s support under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to professionalise and modernise the civil service.

“This week provides a vital opportunity to reflect on the centrality of the civil service in sustaining democratic values and assuring service delivery,” Akume said.

He lauded the study tour organised by the Head of Service for facilitating knowledge-sharing, peer learning, and administrative benchmarking among officials.

President and Chairman of the Governing Council, CIPM, Ahmed Gobir, commended the Head of Service for championing reforms that are igniting a renewed spirit within the Nigerian civil service.

“Your leadership is a testament to the difference one person can make. CIPM is proud to partner with you not just because you are one of our own but because your work brings real value,” he said.

Gobir announced that CIPM is working, under a 2023 mandate from the Office of the Head of Service, to professionalise HR in the public sector. Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Service Policies and Strategies Office (SPSO), Dr Deborah Odoh, emphasised the significance of strengthening federal-state collaboration, adding that successful national development cannot happen in isolation.