‘Business as usual is no longer acceptable’: Nigeria’s civil service head sets out how to rejuvenate, innovate and accelerate

The head of the civil service of the federation of Nigeria has hailed the launch of “a movement of renewal, creativity and bold progress in public service” at the International Civil Service Conference in Abuja.
Speaking at the opening of the event, which is focused on how to rejuvenate, innovate and accelerate change across public services, Didi Esther Walson-Jack told attendees from across the Nigerian civil service that they are “bound together by a common belief that the civil service remains one of the greatest instruments of national development and global stability”. The conference was held in partnership with Global Government Forum.
She added: “This conference was born from a shared recognition that across the world, and particularly in Africa, the civil service is at a crossroads.”
“The systems we inherited were forged in a different era, and yet we are compelled to respond to 21st century challenges,” she said. These include rapid urbanisation, digital disruption, climate shocks, global pandemics, increasingly complex citizen demands and what she called “the generational call for equity, inclusion and climate justice”.
“To address this moment, we must rejuvenate, innovate and accelerate,” she said. “These three words are not just the theme of this conference, they are its agenda.”
Over two days and eight stages, the International Civil Service Conference brings together public service leaders from around Nigeria to explore how public servants can meet these challenges.
The second day of the conference today (26 June) will include a keynote address by Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the president of Nigeria.
Read more: Global Government Forum research reveals the top factors that enable civil service innovation
‘Bureaucracy must not mean stagnation’
In her opening comments to the conference yesterday, Walson-Jack said that “bureaucracy must not mean stagnation”.
“We must rethink our policies and how they are made, how services are delivered and how data and technology are harnessed to serve the people better,” she said.
She also stressed that improving the civil service was urgent, as “time is no longer a luxury”.
She added: “Citizens are waiting. Climate is changing and resources are limited. We must move from plans to implementation, from ideas to measurable change, and do so with urgency.”
Find out more: International Civil Service Conference | Rejuvenate, Innovate and Accelerate! | 25 & 26 June 2025
‘The civil service is the engine of our future’
Walson-Jack also shared details on progress that has been made on civil service transformation.
“We are automating our processes, transitioning to a paperless service through the deployment of an enterprise content management system,” she said. “We have introduced a performance management system that links individual KPIs [key performance indicators] to national goals. We are retooling our training institutions, particularly the Public Service Institute of Nigeria and the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria, for digital high impact capability-building.”
This progress is important to demonstrate deliverables, she added.
“This conference brings together civil service leaders, reform champions, policy makers, [and] private sector development partners, all from Africa, Europe, Asia and the globe,” she told delegates. “It provides a rare opportunity to exchange ideas, build bridges across borders and explore shared challenges with a unified commitment to public sector excellence.”
“This conference challenges participants to reimagine leadership where innovation is not an afterthought but a core strategy,” Walson-Jack concluded. “This is not just a learning event, it is a catalyst for real world action… The civil service is not a relic of the past, it is the engine of our future. That engine must be rebuilt, not with trusted tools and rigid thinking, but with a fuel of bold ideas, diverse minds and inclusive purpose.
“This conference is a declaration that business as usual is no longer acceptable. It is a commitment that we will not reform alone. It is a signal that we are ready to rejuvenate, to innovate and to accelerate.”