Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
The Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation has taken a major step towards institutionalising a coordinated digital transformation of the Federal Civil Service with the inauguration of a high-level Technical Working Committee (TWC) to drive the implementation of the Federal Executive Council – approved digital transformation agenda. This was contained in a statement signed by Mrs. Eno Olotu, FCAI, Director, Press and Public Relations.
The inauguration, which took place on Friday, 14 August 2026, marks a decisive shift from policy approval to structured implementation, with the Committee charged with developing the architecture, roadmap and governance mechanisms required to move the Service towards a more connected, efficient, secure and citizen-focused digital operating environment.
Inaugurating the Committee, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, OON, mni, described the development as a defining milestone in the reform of the Federal Civil Service, stressing that the digital transformation agenda must translate policy into measurable improvements in the way government works and delivers services to citizens.
She noted that the Committee was constituted following the FEC’s approval of the Federal Civil Service Digital Transformation Progress Report, which places critical responsibilities on the OHCSF and calls for coordinated action across Ministries, Extra-Ministerial Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
According to the HCSF, the time has come for the Federal Civil Service to move beyond isolated and fragmented digital initiatives and establish a coherent, Government-wide digital ecosystem in which systems can communicate, information can flow securely, processes can be simplified and public servants are empowered to work more efficiently.
Mrs Walson-Jack charged the Committee to develop a comprehensive Digital Transformation Implementation Framework and Roadmap that would provide a clear pathway for the expansion, adoption and sustainability of digitalisation across the Federal Civil Service.
She emphasised that the framework must address the critical dimensions of policy, governance, institutional coordination, interoperability, cybersecurity, financing, digital readiness, capacity development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, while ensuring that digital transformation remains sustainable beyond individual initiatives or administrations.
The HCSF further stressed that the success of the initiative would depend not only on technology but also on people, processes and institutional culture, noting that public servants must be adequately equipped and supported to adopt and effectively use digital tools in the discharge of their responsibilities.
She said the initiative aligns with the ongoing reforms under the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, and the broader vision of building a world-class, professional and digitally enabled Service capable of supporting national development and delivering on the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.
Responding on behalf of the Committee, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Engr. Nadungu Gagare, described the assignment as strategic and timely.
Engr. Gagare assured the HCSF that members of the Committee would bring their collective expertise and experience to bear on the assignment and work closely with relevant MDAs and stakeholders to develop a framework that is practical, sustainable, inclusive and responsive to the realities of the Nigerian Civil Service.
The 11-member Technical Working Committee (TWC) is chaired by Dr Deborah Odoh, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning. Other members are Mr Mohammed Sanusi Danjuma, Permanent Secretary, Special Duties, Federal Ministry of Finance; Engr. Nadungu Gagare, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy; Dr Danjuma Usman Kalba, Permanent Secretary, Common Services Office; Dr Shamseldeen B. Ogunjimi, Accountant-General of the Federation; Dr Adebowale Adedokun, Director-General, Bureau of Public Procurement; Arc. Joy Baderin, Director Overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Special Duties Office; Mr Uwem Ekpo, Director, ICT, OHCSF; Engr. Dr Gideon Adogbo, Senior Technical Adviser to the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation; Mr Uyiosa Ebuehi, Technical Assistant to the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation; and Mr Alex Gwaske, Director, ICT Service-Wide, who serves as Secretary. The ICT Service-Wide Department, OHCSF, will serve as the Secretariat of the Committee.
The inauguration reinforces the commitment of the OHCSF to building a modern, digitally enabled and results-driven Federal Civil Service in which technology is deployed not as an end in itself, but as a strategic tool for improving efficiency, strengthening accountability and delivering better outcomes for civil servants and Nigerians.
The TWC is expected to submit its first report to the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation within one week. The report will provide the basis for the constitution of a Steering Committee, to be chaired by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, which will provide strategic oversight for the implementation of the digital transformation agenda.
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