In a decisive move to overhaul Nigeria’s public sector, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered a comprehensive personnel audit and skills gap analysis across the Federal Civil Service. The directive was issued on Thursday during the opening of the 2025 International Civil Service Week in Abuja.
The initiative aims to enhance capacity, boost efficiency, and position the civil service to better deliver public goods and support national development.
“We can only guarantee a high-performance culture by placing the right people in the right positions,” President Tinubu stated. “To that end, I have authorised a full Personnel Audit and Skills Gap Analysis across the Federal Civil Service to build capacity.”
The president emphasized that the civil service is the foundation of effective governance, describing it as “the engine room” of the nation’s administrative and development efforts.
“Our civil servants are the quiet architects of stability, innovation, and public trust,” he said.
The audit forms part of a broader strategy to align Nigeria’s civil service with international best practices and support a transition to digital governance. Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to evidence-based policy by stressing the importance of accurate and secure data.
“Data is the new oil. Unlike oil, it becomes more valuable when refined and responsibly shared,” he added.
To reinforce transparency and data protection, the president directed all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to publish verified data in compliance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023.
President Tinubu also praised the ongoing reforms under the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021–2025, commending the Head of the Civil Service, Dr. Didi Walson-Jack, for her leadership in driving innovation and digital transformation.
“Launching Service-Wise GPT and other innovations reflects exceptional leadership,” he noted.
Dr. Walson-Jack, in her remarks, revealed that the event was fully self-funded through strategic partnerships and creative planning. She underscored the importance of a world-class civil service in achieving Nigeria’s leadership aspirations on the African continent.
“If Nigeria must lead Africa, our civil service must lead first,” she said.
The reforms mark a significant step toward building a modern, agile, and results-driven public sector capable of meeting the needs of citizens in a digital age.
