Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
The Federal Government has reaffirmed innovation as a key driver of Civil Service transformation, as highlighted during the 5th Federal Public Service Innovation Competition held in Abuja. This was contained in a statement signed by Mrs. Eno Olotu, mnipr, Director, Information and Public Relations.
In her keynote address, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, emphasized that the initiative aligns with the 2025 reform agenda, FCSSIP25: Final Sprint – Delivering Results, and declared 2025 as the “Year of Accomplishment”.
She commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for his unwavering support for Civil Service reform and innovation, noting that his commitment continues to inspire the drive toward a world-class public sector.
This year marks a historic milestone, as the competition was, for the first time, extended to include the entire Public Service. This bold expansion reflects the government’s commitment to harnessing the collective creativity and problem-solving capacity of public servants across all sectors to build a more responsive, innovative, and future-ready service for Nigeria.
The competition attracted 155 entries, 66 cross-functional teams, and international evaluations. Top teams received cash prizes, including a star prize of ₦5 million awarded to “Team Car Pooling.”
The HCSF also sensitized attendees to several digital innovations aimed at enhancing transparency and efficiency, such as the Online Compendium of Circulars, Service-Wise GPT (Beta), Civil Service News, Service Welfare Newsletter, and the FCS Online Academy. She highlighted the successful rollout of previous winning innovations and called on the private sector to support their scale-up.
The event drew commendations from legislators, former HCSFs, and top government officials, all reinforcing the critical role of innovation in delivering a modern, efficient, and citizen-centred Civil Service.
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