The 44th Annual National Council of Civil Service Commissions of the Federation has ended in Umuahia with far-reaching resolutions aimed at strengthening professionalism, transparency, and institutional autonomy across the nation’s civil service.
In a communiqué issued on Thursday and read by the Chairman of the eight-member drafting committee, Mr. Balarabe Abubakar, the Council endorsed a comprehensive 2026–2030 strategic plan that places strong emphasis on merit-based recruitment, digital transformation, and independence of civil service institutions, in line with global standards.
According to the communiqué, the new strategic direction is expected to drive the repositioning and professionalisation of civil service commissions nationwide.
The Council urged the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) to identify and develop critical success factors for pilot states that have demonstrated political will, naming Abia State as a model for domesticating the reform plan.
State civil service commissions were also encouraged to adopt and fully deploy Human Resource Management Information Systems (HRMIS) without delay. Additionally, the Council directed all states to review or produce strategic plans within 12 months, drawing guidance from the federal template and securing funding from government allocations, development partners and NGOs.
It further advised states to establish strategy implementation coordination units to oversee deployment, monitoring, and reporting on their respective plans.
The Council recommended a zero-tolerance policy for civil servants found falsifying age, academic credentials or other critical records. It charged commissions nationwide to restore merit as the primary criterion for recruitment and promotion, and to develop objective frameworks for ensuring inclusivity and diversity across the service.
The communiqué noted that the meeting’s theme—“Repositioning Civil Service Commissions in Nigeria as a Hub of Professionalism in Public Service Human Resource Management”—aligns with national priorities, including the Renewed Hope Agenda, the Federal Civil Service Strategy Implementation Plan, and Nigeria’s ambition to build a $1 trillion economy by 2030.
Abubakar stressed the need for urgent reforms to address the rising Japa syndrome, improve remuneration, enhance work environments, and ensure standardised training across all cadres to support merit-based career progression.
He also emphasised the need for state governments to grant their civil service commissions full autonomy to execute their constitutional mandates effectively.
The five-day event, declared open by Governor Alex Otti—represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Kenneth Kalu—was attended by the Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission, Professor Tunji Olaopa; chairmen of state civil service commissions; federal commissioners; and other key stakeholders, including the Chairperson of the Abia State Civil Service Commission, Pst. Mrs. Enoh Jerry-Eze.
