In a renewed effort to deepen regional cooperation and improve public service delivery, Nigeria and The Gambia are collaborating on public sector reforms rooted in African cultural values. This partnership was further solidified during a study exchange visit by a Gambian delegation to Nigeria, hosted by the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR) in Abuja.
Director General of BPSR, Dr Ibrahim Arabi, welcomed the delegation, highlighting the visit’s significance in fostering the exchange of ideas, best practices, and collaborative strategies to address public service challenges peculiar to African nations. He noted that such engagements aim to build institutional and human capacity while respecting cultural and social dynamics.
Dr Arabi recalled the historical diplomatic ties between the two countries, noting that Nigeria’s public service reforms are crucial given its vast population, of which approximately 20% is served by the sector. He explained that the Bureau was established to coordinate, monitor, and evaluate reform efforts across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) at the federal level.
He pointed to the National Strategy for Public Service Reforms, developed in 2007, as a cornerstone of Nigeria’s reform roadmap, aimed at promoting integrity, transparency, and accountability. Achievements such as the digitisation of public finance, the establishment of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), and regular perception impact surveys were cited as progress indicators.
Dr Arabi also linked Nigeria’s reform drive to President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which seeks to position Nigeria as a global investment destination through economic diversification, human capital development, improved governance, and job creation. He further highlighted the administration’s recent launch of a Financial Inclusion Policy to improve access to financial services for low-income earners and SMEs.
Speaking on behalf of the Gambian delegation, Mr Pateh Jah, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Public Service, expressed admiration for Nigeria’s reform initiatives, particularly the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) and the national identification number system. He noted that Gambia is currently developing a similar Human Resource Management Information System and aims to implement effective monitoring tools like perception surveys to improve service delivery.
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Mr Jah acknowledged the challenges of implementing reforms in diverse societies but emphasised that such efforts are essential for enhancing government productivity and accountability.
Professor Victor Ayeli, Director of Governance and Management Services International, who facilitated the exchange, praised the programme’s tailored approach. He noted that learning from fellow African nations offers practical solutions and cultural resonance. While no rigid follow-up mechanism is in place, Ayeli said there is a structured effort to ensure lessons from the exchange are translated into actionable reforms back home.
The exchange visit underscored the importance of regional collaboration in areas such as trade, security, energy, and governance, in line with ECOWAS protocols. Both nations reaffirmed their commitment to leveraging shared experiences to build efficient, responsive, and culturally grounded public services across West Africa.
