President Tinubu has described the Nigerian Civil Service as the central room of national transformation.
President Tinubu, represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, stated this while declaring open the 2026 International Civil Service Week in Abuja, with the theme: “Reforms, Resilience and Results.”
The President said no policy, however well designed, can succeed without a capable, disciplined, and high-performing Civil Service to implement it.
“The Nigerian Public Service has moved beyond plans and policy declarations. It has tested its systems against global economic pressures, domestic service demands, and the urgent expectations of citizens. The results we see today speak to the resilience, commitment, and adaptability of our workforce,” he said.
He noted that ‘‘bureaucracy must no longer be seen as a bottleneck, but as a bridge to efficiency, investment, innovation, and inclusive growth.’’
According to him, with 38 ministries and extra-ministerial departments now operating on a secure, paperless, end-to-end electronic workflow system, Nigeria is building a public service that enables progress.
“This digital leap is being reinforced by the Personnel Audit and Skills Gap Analysis, which I authorised during the last conference and which is now nearing completion. We are no longer relying on assumptions about our capacity; we are measuring it. We are identifying gaps, strengthening competencies, and ensuring that the right people are placed in the right roles, equipped with the digital skills and professional discipline required for 21st-century governance,” he said.
President Tinubu added that under the Renewed Hope Agenda, his administration is working for every Nigerian.
The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Esther Walson-Jack, said the service is deepening conversations on responsible artificial intelligence in governance.
“Our position is clear: AI must expand human capacity, not replace human judgment. It must serve citizens, especially the most vulnerable, not simply those already well-served,” she noted.
She explained that the 2026 International Civil Service Week is structured across eight stages Aspire, Innovate, Activate, Accelerate, Accomplish, Rejuvenate, Transform, and Impact as a deliberate progression reflecting the journey of genuine reform from vision to results.
According to her, the three roundtables will address the future of work in the public sector, partnerships and collaboration, and financing reform under fiscal pressure, stressing that they are designed to generate productive dialogue rather than comfortable consensus.
The 2026 conference is attended by 16 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and more.
