A team of forward-thinking civil servants has emerged as the first-place winner of the 5th edition of the Annual Federal Public Service Innovation Competition.
Speaking on behalf of the team, Nusrah Wali revealed that their winning concept is a dedicated carpooling platform created specifically for government employees. The initiative aims to reduce transportation costs and ease traffic congestion by enabling civil servants across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to register and participate in carpooling schemes—either financial or non-financial.
“In the financial model, a car-owning civil servant receives compensation from others in the group, much like a ride-hailing service tailored for government workers,” Wali explained. “In the non-financial model, driving responsibilities are shared among members on scheduled days, allowing participants to save money without any monetary exchange.”
She noted that beyond offering cost savings, the proposal promotes environmental sustainability and fosters inter-agency collaboration within the civil service.
“This win is deeply emotional for us. We’ve worked on this concept for years. It’s a dream come true to see it recognised on a platform that champions innovation across the public service,” she said.
The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, stressed the pivotal role of innovation in advancing the objectives of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan (FCSSIP 2021–2025).
“Innovation is not just a strategy—it lies at the heart of our transformation agenda,” she stated, adding that the competition showcases the potential of the Nigerian civil service to deliver citizen-centric and cost-efficient solutions.
Mrs Walson-Jack highlighted that since the competition’s inception in 2020, it has generated over 50 innovative ideas, with three already implemented—the Anonymous Reporting System, the COMPRO Computer-Based Test, and the Office Space Management System.
“This year alone, 228 civil servants formed 66 teams and submitted 155 entries, reflecting the growing commitment to innovation across MDAs.”
Participants underwent training in idea development and pitching, supported by technical teams via platforms such as Slack, WhatsApp, and YouTube.
This year’s awards included ₦5 million for the overall winner, ₦3 million for the first runner-up, and ₦2 million for the second runner-up, while the next top ten teams received ₦200,000 each.
The Head of Service expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his unwavering support for public service reforms.
Also Read: Abuja Hosts Inaugural Sports Meet Nigeria Conference
Inclusivity was also a feature of the ceremony, which included sign language interpretation. New digital initiatives introduced included the Online Compendium of Circulars, Service Wise GPT—an AI-powered knowledge assistant—and the soon-to-be-launched Federal Civil Service Online Academy.
The event concluded with a call for civil servants to embrace innovation as part of daily service delivery, as 2025 is declared the Year of Accomplishment in building a future-ready, efficient, and citizen-focused civil service.
