By Ebi Kesiena
The Nigerian Government has moved to the implementation stage of its digital transformation agenda for the Federal Civil Service with the inauguration of an 11-member Technical Working Committee (TWC) by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF).
The committee was inaugurated on Friday, August 14, 2026, following the Federal Executive Council’s approval of the Federal Civil Service Digital Transformation Progress Report.
Inaugurating the committee, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, described the development as a major milestone in ongoing efforts to modernise the Service and improve government operations.
She charged the committee to develop a comprehensive Digital Transformation Implementation Framework and Roadmap that would guide the expansion, adoption and sustainability of digitalisation across Ministries, Extra-Ministerial Departments and Agencies.
Walson-Jack said the initiative must move the Service beyond fragmented digital projects towards a coordinated, government-wide ecosystem where systems can communicate, information can flow securely and processes are simplified.
She stressed that the framework should cover policy, governance, institutional coordination, interoperability, cybersecurity, financing, digital readiness, capacity development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
According to her, successful digital transformation would depend not only on technology but also on people, processes and institutional culture. She therefore urged the committee to ensure that public servants are adequately trained and supported to effectively use digital tools.
The HCSF said the initiative aligns with the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan and the broader objective of building a professional, digitally enabled and results-driven public service capable of supporting national development and delivering on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Responding on behalf of the committee, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Engr. Nadungu Gagare, described the assignment as strategic and timely.
Gagare assured that members would deploy their expertise and work with relevant MDAs and stakeholders to develop a framework that is practical, sustainable, inclusive and responsive to the realities of the Nigerian Civil Service.
The committee is chaired by Dr Deborah Odoh, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, while Mr Alex Gwaske, Director, ICT Service-Wide, serves as Secretary. The ICT Service-Wide Department of the OHCSF will provide the secretariat.
The TWC is expected to submit its first report to the HCSF within one week. The report will form the basis for establishing a Steering Committee, to be chaired by Walson-Jack, to provide strategic oversight for the implementation of the digital transformation agenda.
The OHCSF said the initiative would deploy technology as a strategic tool to improve efficiency, strengthen accountability and deliver better outcomes for civil servants and Nigerians.
