FG: Most Civil Servants Lack Needed Skills, Not Overstaffing The Real Issue

The Federal Government has revealed that the real challenge facing Nigeria’s civil service is not overstaffing, but rather a mismatch of skills and widespread redundancy.

Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission, Prof. Tunji Olaopa, made this known in Abuja on Wednesday during the unveiling of the commission’s first strategic plan at a three-day retreat which held from June 30 to July 2.

Olaopa explained that contrary to popular belief, the size of Nigeria’s civil service is relatively small compared to global benchmarks. However, the major problem is that most workers lack the skills required to drive the system forward, while the critical skills needed are in short supply.

He said, “If you benchmark the workforce of the federal civil service against other countries, you’ll find that our workforce is actually small. But the problem is we have a huge number of staff, most of whom lack the requisite skills to function, while the skills that the system needs are scarce.”

To tackle this, Olaopa announced new initiatives, including a performance management system, reskilling and redeployment of underutilised workers, and voluntary exit schemes with incentives.

He stressed that these reforms are aimed at building a civil service that will actively support the national ambition of transforming Nigeria into a $1 trillion economy by 2030.

Reform For Economic Growth

Olaopa said the commission’s new strategic plan, covering 2025 to 2029, is designed to reposition the federal civil service as a vital driver of national development.

“The civil service must no longer be seen as a stifler of economic growth. We are reengineering the Federal Civil Service Commission to be performance-driven, reform-oriented, and aligned with the President’s vision of making Nigeria a $1 trillion economy by 2030,” he stated.

He noted that the reforms followed President Bola Tinubu’s directive at the inauguration of the commission on December 13, 2023, to transform and digitise the federal bureaucracy to enable growth and strengthen the private sector’s role in the economy.

According to him, the strategic roadmap rests on merit, accountability, and digital efficiency, with key elements such as transparent recruitment, rewarding excellence, and ensuring accountability across ministries, departments, and agencies.

Attracting The Best

Olaopa highlighted that the commission has already started implementing some of these reforms, including publicly advertising vacancies for the first time and processing applications online.

“This is about eliminating patronage and putting merit at the heart of everything. We want to attract the brightest Nigerians into the civil service,” he said.

He further urged civil servants to embrace a culture of performance and accountability, adding, “Our mandate is clear: to create a service that fuels the economy, not frustrates it. The $1 trillion goal is not just a political slogan, it is a strategic target we are now building toward.”