In a significant move to overhaul Nigeria's public sector, the Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC), Professor Tunji Olaopa, has called on state civil service commissions to adopt a groundbreaking strategic plan. This appeal was made during the 44th Annual National Council of the Civil Service Commissions of the Federation, which took place in Umuahia, Abia State.
A Historic Blueprint for Change
Professor Olaopa presented a five-year strategic plan (2026-2030), marking the first such comprehensive roadmap in the FCSC's 71-year history. The plan is designed to fundamentally reform Nigeria's civil service by focusing on several key areas. Its core objectives are to enhance merit-based recruitment, implement promotions driven by performance, and fully embrace digital transformation.
The strategy is built on six foundational pillars:
- Strengthening the institutional independence of the commission.
- Introducing competitive digital recruitment processes.
- Linking promotions directly to employee performance.
- Automating Human Resources (HR) functions.
- Embedding strong ethical governance practices.
- Ensuring inclusivity, equity, and diversity management.
The ultimate goal is to professionalise the civil service, drastically improve its efficiency, and position it as a critical engine to support the national ambition of building a $1 trillion economy.
Aligning with National Development Goals
Olaopa emphasised that the strategic plan's fundamental purpose extends beyond the FCSC itself. He stated it is designed to restore the commission's glory while aligning with broader national frameworks like Vision 2050, the National Development Plan, and President Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda.
The plan seeks to institutionalise a vision for a capable, citizen-centred, and accountable civil service. Its mission is to promote a merit-based, fair, and ethical workforce system. This system will be founded on the core values encapsulated as I-PIA: Integrity, Professionalism, Innovation, and Accountability.
The Urgent Need for Reform
Professor Olaopa did not shy away from stating the pressing need for this overhaul. He pointed out that the FCSC was reconstituted and the National Council revitalised precisely because so much had gone wrong with the civil service system.
He described the current state as a dysfunction that demands a recovery of the commissions' constitutional mandate. This mandate, which applies to both federal and state commissions, is the recruitment, appointment, promotion, and discipline of civil service officers.
"The current dysfunction, therefore, demands that the mandate of the CSC needs to be recovered," Olaopa declared. He highlighted the urgency of reclaiming the commissions' legal and operational independence. This recovery must be rooted in a renewed focus on public-spiritedness, professionalism, merit, and a competency-based human resource management system.
He also noted that these operational changes are crucial for properly implementing principles like the federal character, ensuring equity, fairness, and inclusivity as mandated by the Nigerian Constitution. By adopting this plan, Olaopa believes the FCSC and state commissions can effectively resume their role as the true gatekeepers of a merit-based, efficient, and productive civil service for Nigeria.
