One Year in Office: Walson-Jack Drives Digital Revolution in Nigeria’s Civil Service

By Admin

One year after her appointment as Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack has been hailed for spearheading reforms that are reshaping Nigeria’s civil service into a more efficient, inclusive, and digitally driven institution.

Appointed on August 14, 2024, by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Walson-Jack has anchored her reforms on the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021–2025 (FCSSIP-25), promising to reposition the service as Efficient, Productive, Incorruptible and Citizen-Centred (EPIC).

At her One-Year Thanksgiving Message, Walson-Jack highlighted milestones such as the revival of the Civil Service Anthem, the deployment of GOVMail, a secure government email system for 34,000 staff and the launch of Service-Wise GPT, an AI policy and research assistant unveiled at the Global Government Summit in Singapore.

She has also pledged to achieve full digitization of public administration by December 31, 2025, a move expected to improve transparency, reduce delays, and streamline government services.

In her first year, she introduced reforms such as:

War Rooms to fast-track six key priority areas, including HR reform and innovation.

A Civil Service Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Policy, with strict enforcement of the 5% recruitment quota for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).

Continuous learning through the Federal Civil Service Online Academy.

Performance Management Thursdays, dedicated to accountability checks across MDAs.

Her leadership has also focused on staff welfare, with the 2025 Federal Civil Service Awards rewarding top performers with houses, cars, scholarships, and cash prizes. Pension and healthcare systems for retirees have also been upgraded.

On the continental stage, Walson-Jack initiated the first Pan-African Public Service Day celebration, hosted in Abuja in June, attracting over 5,000 delegates. Preparations are underway for the 2026 International Civil Service Conference, expected to gather global experts, civil servants, and academics.

Civil servants have lauded her reforms. “Previously, I carried circulars dating back to 1979. Now, with the online compendium, everything is easier to access,” said Olatunji Ajayi, Director at the Ministry of Housing.

Reflecting on her journey, Walson-Jack urged continued commitment: “Let us work not for titles, but for enduring legacies; not for self, but for service. Together, we shall build a Civil Service that future generations will inherit with pride.”

As her second year begins, expectations are high that Walson-Jack’s reforms will leave a lasting digital and institutional legacy in Nigeria’s governance.