By Stella Odueme
The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mr. Olumuyiwa Enitan Abel, has urged public servants to embrace innovation, professionalism and accountability to accelerate Nigeria’s economic transformation and achieve President Bola Tinubu’s $1 trillion economy target by 2030.
Abel said the Federal Civil Service must strengthen its capacity to formulate sound policy advice, ensure effective implementation of government programmes and deliver measurable results that would improve the lives of Nigerians.
He made the call on Wednesday at the 2026 Week Colloquium of the Council of Retired Federal Permanent Secretaries (CORFEPS), held alongside the unveiling of the maiden edition of the CORFEPS Journal on Public Policy and Governance in Abuja.
The event, which took place at the Rotunda, Tafawa Balewa House, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was themed, “Navigating the Headwinds of Governance: Centrality of the Civil Service.”
In a statement issued on Thursday by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Mrs. Eno Olotu, the HCSF said economic uncertainties, fiscal constraints and rapid technological changes had increased the need for a competent and adaptable public service.
He noted that the success of the Renewed Hope Agenda depended on the ability of government institutions to transform policies into tangible outcomes through efficient administration, professional competence and accountability.
The HCSF explained that the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2026–2030 (FCSSIP30) would consolidate the gains recorded under the previous reform framework while prioritising digital transformation, streamlined administrative procedures and improved performance management.
He, however, stressed that achieving the objectives would require changes in the mindset, work ethics and institutional culture of public servants.
Speaking on behalf of Vice President Kashim Shettima, the Special Adviser to the President on Power and Infrastructure in the Office of the Vice President, Mr. Sadiq Wanka, said national development aspirations could only be realised when public institutions effectively translated government policies into results.
Shettima commended CORFEPS for promoting knowledge-sharing, policy reflection and institutional learning to strengthen governance and support national development.
Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha, who delivered the keynote address, described the Civil Service as indispensable to administrative continuity, effective coordination among government institutions and the sustenance of governance across successive administrations.
Mustapha called for merit-based recruitment and career advancement, improved alignment between performance and promotion, evidence-driven policy decisions and stronger accountability mechanisms.
He also highlighted the contributions of retired public servants to governance through research, policy advice and publications, describing their experience as an asset that should be harnessed for national development.
The former SGF urged CORFEPS and the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation to strengthen their collaboration through mentorship programmes and initiatives aimed at preserving institutional knowledge for the benefit of serving officers.
Earlier, the HCSF joined other dignitaries to unveil the CORFEPS Journal on Public Policy and Governance, describing the publication as a valuable platform for documenting administrative experiences and promoting research-based policymaking.
He encouraged academics, researchers and public servants to contribute practical recommendations that would address governance challenges and improve public administration.
In his remarks, CORFEPS Chairman, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, called for sustained interaction between serving and retired public servants, noting that the experience of retired officers could help address emerging challenges in governance.
Ahmed emphasised the importance of preserving institutional memory, strengthening intergenerational knowledge transfer and providing constructive policy advice to improve the performance of the Federal Civil Service.
He expressed confidence that the newly launched journal would promote informed policy discussions and document valuable administrative experiences for future generations.
The event attracted serving and retired Permanent Secretaries, former Heads of the Civil Service of the Federation, including the immediate past HCSF, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, Alhaji Isa Bello Sali, senior government officials and members of the diplomatic corps.