The Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation has been outstanding in its niche focus of working with relevant government institutions to reposition the Nigerian Civil Service. This it has done in many ways, including holding
periodic trainings for civil servants in order to build their capacity and equip them with prerequisite skills set to navigate the intricate dynamics of the bureaucracy.
Realizing the importance of their role as the engine room of government, and being the foot soldiers responsible for the overall attainment of the nation’s public utility, the foundation has invested so much in them since it was established.
The brains behind the noble foundation, Aigboje and Ofovwe Aig-Imoukhuede, were obviously worried about the dwindling fortunes of the service, especially the performance metrics of civil servants, and general sectoral decline of project and progamme outcomes. This wasn’t the case many years ago while they were growing up. So, reversing that decline became a personal priority for them.
So far, a reported N1 billion has been spent on supporting various initiatives to reform the civil service. The whole essence is to ensure better service delivery as well as optimize the core goals and objectives of th service for the benefit of Nigerians.
Every year, about 100 promising mid-level civil servants undergo rigorous training, which includes an 8-week internship in private sector organisations. The latest of the training took place in October 2024. The worthy initiative is to expose the beneficiaries to modern trends that are essential for them in management, ethics, and other best practices in their career.
The specialized training tagged “Leadership Enhancement and Development Programme” (LEAD-P) is specifically designed for civil servants at Salary Grade Levels 10-14, and the success story has been overwhelming.
According to the Director of Programmes of the foundation, Chioma Njoku, the internship is a crucial component of the training as it provides the participants a robust insight into efficient and timely work processes, organisational values, ethics, and innovative management styles.
“We are committed to the ideals of an improved and effective civil service that will not only be productive but meet the expectations of Nigerians. It is for this reason that our capacity building trainings are all encompassing, including practical internship programmes”, she said.
The foundation’s Public-Private Partnership with the Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS), has opened another vista of opportunity for civil servants. The collaboration goes beyond skills training. It is aimed at empowering directors in the Federal Civil Service to become transformative leaders, equipped with sharp leadership strategies, masterful communication skills, and expert project management skills.
To this end, it recently concluded an intensive four-week leadership and project management training programme for 61 Directors from 10 Ministries. The training, which was hosted at the office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), equipped participants with essential skills to enhance their leadership capabilities and project management expertise.
Authorities of the foundation believe strongly that by “empowering our civil service leaders, we are building a more effective, efficient, and impactful public sector.” In addition, they asserted that “by investing in their leadership development, we are empowering them to become catalysts for transformation in the public sector.”
The foundation’s shared goal of improving the lives of civil servants has no doubt provided a new lease of life for Nigeria’s civil service. The transformation and profound rebirth are very visible. It has helped to contribute to the economic development of the country.
A major achievement of the foundation so far is its digitisation programme. The programme has helped the work of the over 1,000 civil servants in the OHCSF, and by extension, the work of other Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) as they no longer take physical files to the OHCSF but electronically mail them in a seamless and real time process.
The deliberate efforts of the foundation to turn things around in the service has really not gone unnoticed. To show the sincere gratitude of his government, President Bola Tinubu in June sent a thank you letter to the foundation for its contributions to the development of the civil service.
The immediate past Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, at an event, recounted how the foundation helped her overcome the challenges she had faced in the passage of her budget after she was appointed in 2019. She noted that it was the help and intervention of the foundation that she was able to have a seamless time in office, particularly her first year.
Interestingly, it is the same support that the foundation has elected to offer the new Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack. The chairman of the foundation, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, during a courtesy call after her appointment, reaffirmed the foundation’s steadfast commitment to driving transformative change within the public sector.
As changed agents, the foundation is not resting on its oars as insisted by its Executive Vice Chairman, Ofovwe Aig-Imoukhuede, that so much still needs to be done, adding that “Our long-term goal is improved efficiency in the civil service both at the federal and sub-national levels.”