By Ebi Kesiena
The Federal Government has taken a major step towards transforming the Civil Service into a world-class, future-ready workforce with the inauguration of the ONCE-Knowledge System Steering Committee.
The initiative, spearheaded by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Mrs. Didi Walson-Jack, seeks to harmonise capacity building, knowledge management, and talent development across the Federal Civil Service.
This was contained in a statement by Mrs. Eno Olotu, Director of Information and Public Relations, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, announcing the inauguration in Abuja.
Speaking at the event, Mrs. Walson-Jack described the system as “a bold new approach that ensures every civil servant, from the newest entrant to the most senior executive, is prepared, empowered, and supported throughout their career journey.” She explained that the ONCE-Knowledge System addresses long-standing gaps in capacity building by introducing a coordinated framework that follows civil servants from entry to exit, anchored on the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021–2025 (FCSSIP 25), under Pillar One: Capacity Building and Talent Management.
The system is built on five interconnected pillars, ranging from comprehensive onboarding for new recruits, structured capability development such as SMAT-P and LEAD-P, to executive masterclasses for top officials and structured exit management that preserves institutional memory. A knowledge management strategy also institutionalises learning and safeguards the collective wisdom of the Service.
The 14-member committee, chaired by Mrs. Fatima Mahmood, Permanent Secretary, Career Management Office, comprises senior government officials, heads of federal training institutions, development partners, and private sector experts.
According to the statement, the inauguration signals the government’s commitment to building a highly skilled, future-ready workforce capable of delivering world-class public services to Nigerians.
