2025 International Civil Service Conference Week: "We Are Ready To Rejuvenate Innovate and Accelerate", Says Walson-Jack

"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."  Mrs Esther Didi Walson-Jack HCSF 

Nigeria's Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, on Wednesday in Abuja, the nation's capital hosted Heads of Service of the thirty-six states of the Federation including that of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT and international participants to the inaugural 2025 International Civil Service Conference.

The inaugural 2025 International Civil Service Event; a well attended week long event, is proudly hosted by the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in collaboration with its esteemed partners at the Global Government Forum UK.


Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Esther Didi Walson-Jack in her welcome address, stated that the event is the launch of a movement; a movement of renewal, creativity and bold  progress in public service. 

"We are gathered as reformers, thinkers, practitioners, and doers bound together by a common belief that the civil service remains one of the greatest instruments of national development and global stability.
Why We Are Here: The Inspiration Behind the Conference." She said.


According to Didi Walson-Jack, "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, rapid urbanization, digital disruption, climate shocks, global pandemics, complex citizen demands, and now, the generational call for equity, inclusion, and climate justice." Walson-Jack stated.

"To address this moment, we must Rejuvenate, Innovate and Accelerate!
These three words are not just the theme of this conference. They are its agenda." She said.

Understanding the theme; 

• Rejuvenate: We must rejuvenate to renew the spirit, skills, and structure of the civil service. This means attracting young talent, building leadership pipelines, empowering women and marginalized groups, and rekindling public trust through values-based service.

• Innovate: Bureaucracy must not mean stagnation. We must rethink how policies are made, how services are delivered, and how data and technology are harnessed to serve the people better.

• Accelerate: Time is no longer a luxury, 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.

Nigeria’s Reform Journey: Progress and Promise 

I would be remiss if I did not share with you the progress we have made 
in the Nigerian Civil Service and the commitments that lie ahead: 
• We are automating our processes, transitioning to a paperless service 
through the deployment of an Enterprise Content Management System 
(ECMS); 
• We have introduced a Performance Management System that links 
individual KPIs 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. 
These are not mere aspirations, they are deliverables. 

Objectives of the Conference To Foster Global Collaboration and Connectivity 

Speaking further, Mrs Walson-Jack  disclosed that, "this conference brings together civil service leaders, reform champions, policymakers, and developments development partners from Africa, Europe, Asia, and across 
the globe. 

"It provides a rare opportunity to exchange ideas, build bridges across 
borders, and explore shared challenges with a unified commitment to 
public sector excellence. 

It also provides the opportunity to  'Spotlight Transformational Practices That Deliver Results'.

 
The Nigerian HCSF noted that, "From Ghana’s citizen-centered e-governance, to Kenya’s institutional accountability frameworks, Singapore’s AI-powered service architecture, and Morocco’s integrated digital identity and public service delivery reforms, we are showcasing models that are redefining public sector performance. 

She stated that "Delegates will engage with tested innovations and explore how to adapt them to their unique national context. 

To Catalyze Bold, Forward-Thinking Leadership, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation stressed that, "in a rapidly evolving world, the civil service must become a platform for creative, agile, and resilient governance. This conference challenges participants to reimagine leadership where innovation is not an afterthought, but a core strategy. Sessions will explore emerging frontiers: AI, climate-responsive administration, citizen-driven design, and agile policy delivery. 

Didi Walson-Jack further disclosed that, "To Deepen and Accelerate Nigeria’s Reform Momentum, the conference serves as a critical stocktaking moment for the implementation of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021–2025 (FCSSIP 25). 

"It will highlight progress made in performance management, digitalization, leadership development, and institutional strengthening, while mapping a path for what must follow. 

Speaking on the need to forge enduring partnerships for reform implementation, HCSF noted that, "This is not just a learning event; it is a catalyst for real-world action. Through MoU signings, roundtables, and networking platforms, the conference  will foster strategic alliances including bilateral, multilateral, and regional partnerships to support reform implementation, knowledge transfer, and resource mobilization." 

A Word to the Reform Champions: 

To the young people in the civil service, to the gender equality advocates, to the data scientists and policy designers in this room, Mrs Esther Didi Walson-Jack had this to say;  “You are not the future of public service. You are its present. Your creativity, your courage, and your conviction are what will define whether we
succeed in rejuvenating, innovating, and accelerating the transformation we seek”. 

In her closing remarks, Mrs Esther Didi Walson-Jack pointed out that the Civil Service is not a relic of the past. "It is the engine of our future. That engine must be rebuilt, not with rusted tools and rigid  thinking, but with the 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." 

 

She therefore invited all to "engage with 
openness and encourage everyone to leave here with a mission, not just to change your systems, but to change lives."