By Ebi Kesiena
In a bid to achieve efficiency, professionalism, and service delivery, President Bola Tinubu on Thursday ordered for the commencement of Personnel Audit and Skill Gap analysis across all the country’s Federal Civil Service.
The Nigerian President gave this directive while speaking in Abuja at the International Civil Service Conference, a move that is expected to track up the actual figures of serving civil servants, as well as skilled personnel.
“I have authorized the comprehensive personnel audit and skill gap analysis across the federal civil service to deepen capacity. I urge all responsible stakeholders to prioritize timely completion of this critical exercise, to begin implementing targeted reforms, to realize the full benefit of a more agile, competent and responsive civil service,” President Tinubu directed.
In upholding national interest, Tinubu further directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, to prioritise data integrity and sovereignty.
The president called for the capture, protection and strategic publication of public sector data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act (2023).
“We must let our data speak for us. We must publish verified data assets within Nigeria and share them internationally recognized as fruitful. This will allow global benchmarking organization to track our progress in real time and help us strengthen our position on the world stage. This will preserve privacy and uphold data sovereignty,” Tinubu added.
Tinubu hailed the federal civil service as the “engine” driving his Renewed Hope Agenda, and the vehicle for delivering sustainable national development. He noted that the roles of civil servants remain indispensable in modern governance, declaring that in the face of a fast-evolving digital and economic landscape, the civil service must remain agile, future-ready, and results-driven.
“This maiden conference is a bold step toward redefining governance in an era of rapid transformation. An innovative Civil Service ensures we meet today’s needs and overcome tomorrow’s challenges.
“It captures our collective ambition to reimagine and reposition the civil service. In today’s rapid, evolving world of technology, innovation remains critical in ensuring that the civil service is dynamic, digital,” Tinubu added.
Tinubu commended the Head of Service, noting that her vision aligns perfectly with his “Renewed Hope Agenda”. He acknowledged that under her leadership, Nigeria’s civil service has seen measurable progress in human capital development, service-wide digitalization and performance management.
He lauded the landmark MoU signed between the Head of Service and the United Nations, describing it as a bold step that places innovation at the heart of public service reform.
“I commend the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Esther Didi Walson-Jack. Thank you very much for outstanding leadership and tireless pursuit of the reforms. Your stewardship has given rise to the successful implementation of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan (FCSSIP 25),” the president added.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Mrs. Esther Didi Walson-Jack in her Welcome Address, told the president that his presence and strong words of commendation at the conference has further renewed the morale and mandate of public servants across the country.
Walson-Jack described Tinubu as the “backbone” of driving transformation in the Nigerian civil service. She recalled that the takeaways from past study tours to understudy the civil service mechanism in Singapore, the UK and US under her leadership, is already yielding multiplier effects.
The HCSF said that the conference, themed “Rejuvenate, Innovate Accelerate!”, reflects the kind of service Nigerian civil service must become – rejuvenated in energy and purpose.
“This platform is not just about preparing the next generation; it is about including them now, allowing them to lead, innovate, and make their voices heard. Their fresh perspectives and innovative ideas are crucial for the future of our public service”.
“In that same spirit of innovation, we are proud to talk about Service-Wise GPT,” Walson-Jack said, describing the home-grown AI-powered assistant developed by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
“This AI tool is a game-changer, empowering Civil Servants and the public by providing quick and accurate answers to questions about the Nigerian Public Service, the Rules, policies, circulars, procedures, and our activities. It saves time, reduces dependence on manual searches, improves decision-making, and enhances overall efficiency in day-to-day operations,” she stated.
Mrs. Walson-Jack assured the Tinibu that her office, in collaboration with reform-minded stakeholders, will not relent in accelerating the implementation of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan (FCSSIP 25).
She affirmed that digitalisation, performance management, and continuous learning remain key pillars in strengthening accountability, transparency, and service delivery across MDAs.
Walson-Jack reaffirmed that the civil service is determined to exceed expectations by embedding a culture of innovation, ethical leadership, and citizen-centred governance in the heart of public administration.
Heritage Times HT reports that in the context of the civil service, a Personnel Audit and Skill Gap Analysis is a systematic assessment of the current workforce to determine whether the right number of staff with the right skills are in place to achieve government objectives.
It involves evaluating employee qualifications, roles, performance levels, and comparing these with the actual skill requirements of their positions.
If effectively implemented as directed by the president, the process will identify areas of overstaffing or understaffing, expose critical training needs, and help align human resources with national development goals.
The overall result will be a more efficient, competent, and accountable civil service equipped to deliver quality public services and drive reform initiatives.
