In a significant move to reform the Nigerian Civil Service and align it with global standards, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, mni, OON, led a distinguished delegation comprising 20 State Heads of Service and select Federal Permanent Secretaries on a study visit to Singapore in January 2025.
The four-day programme provided an opportunity to understudy the Singaporean Civil Service, internationally renowned for its efficiency, innovation, and transformative impact on national development.
The intensive study tour focused on key aspects of Singapore’s public service delivery and uncovered critical insights that could redefine the operational framework of Nigeria’s civil service.
On the final day of the tour, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Ambassador Gabriel Tanimu Aduda, speaking on behalf of the Federal Permanent Secretaries, highlighted the following key takeaways from the Singaporean model:
• Futuristic Thinking: The Singaporean Civil Service is guided by forward-thinking strategies, anticipating future challenges while ensuring long-term relevance.
• Sense of Community: A deep sense of community fosters collective responsibility for national development, which remains a cornerstone of Singapore’s progress.
• Realism and Resilience: Singapore recognised its resource constraints early and transformed these challenges into opportunities, achieving extraordinary growth despite the absence of natural resources.
• Regulatory Excellence: Regular reviews of policies and regulations ensure continuous improvement in service delivery and operational efficiency.
• Competency-Driven Workforce: Emphasis on a highly skilled and adaptable workforce ensures sustained progress and competitiveness.
Ambassador Aduda commended Mrs Walson-Jack for her visionary leadership in facilitating this groundbreaking initiative. He expressed confidence that the knowledge gained during the study tour would be strategically deployed to enhance service delivery and drive meaningful reforms across Nigeria’s public sector.
“This study tour is a testament to the government’s commitment to transformative reforms in the civil service. The lessons learnt here will be instrumental in building a world-class public service that fosters innovation, enhances governance, and places citizens at the heart of development,” Amb. Aduda remarked.
He also reassured the Head of Service that the delegation would ensure the effective application of the knowledge acquired, leveraging these insights to benefit all Nigerians.
The study visit underscores the Nigerian government’s determination to chart a new course for public sector excellence, setting the stage for a more dynamic and citizen-centric civil service that serves as the backbone of national development.
