Nigeria has launched a bold civil service reform strategy at a global conference to tackle 21st-century challenges and accelerate public sector delivery

The Federal Government has unveiled a bold civil service reform strategy to address modern governance challenges and reposition public institutions for 21st-century demands.

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Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack, announced the civil service reform strategy during her keynote address at the inaugural International Civil Service Conference held in Abuja on Wednesday.

The event, co-hosted by the Federal Government and the Global Government Forum UK, drew over 5,000 delegates from Africa, Europe, Asia, and beyond.

Walson-Jack described the gathering as the launch of a movement centred on “renewal, innovation, and accelerated public service delivery.”

She said the conference theme — Rejuvenate, Innovate and Accelerate — was chosen to drive real action and measurable results.

She warned that many civil services, particularly across Africa, were still operating with outdated structures that were never designed to tackle emerging global realities such as climate change, digital transformation, pandemics, urbanisation, and rising inequality.

“The systems we inherited were forged in a different era,” she said.

Bureaucracy must not mean stagnation. We must rethink how policies are made and how services are delivered.

“Yet we are compelled to respond to 21st-century challenges, rapid urbanisation, digital disruption, climate shocks, global pandemics, and the generational call for equity, inclusion, and climate justice.”

She added that rejuvenation requires not only injecting youthful talent and fresh leadership into the public sector, but also empowering women, marginalised groups, and rebuilding public trust through integrity and values-based service.

“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. Time is no longer a luxury,” she said.

Walson-Jack called for a transformation culture focused on faster implementation, deeper collaboration, and inclusive governance.

According to her, the success of the civil service reform strategy will depend on measurable progress and political will to match rhetoric with action.

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She concluded by urging delegates to return to their respective countries energised and committed to repositioning the civil service as a tool for sustainable development, economic resilience, and citizen-centred governance.