FCSC Chairman advocates for public sector reforms at roundtable in Abuja

The Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC), Prof. Tunji Olaopa, on Monday emphasized the urgent need for comprehensive reforms in the public sector to enhance institutional performance and accountability.

Speaking at a one-day roundtable discussion on “Public Service Reforms, Improvement, and Change” organized by the Bureau of Public Service Reform and the European Union in Abuja, Olaopa highlighted that past and ongoing reforms in the public service have focused on strengthening institutions and improving overall efficiency.

Since the mid-1970s, reforms have aimed to shift from the traditional bureaucratic system of rules compliance to a more performance-driven administrative framework, Olaopa explained. He noted that the goal was to create a public service that is entrepreneurial, technocratic, technology-enabled, and driven by accountability within a stewardship relationship with the public, aligned with democratic principles.

“The reforms have also been designed to reinvent the values of the civil service, restoring the excellence seen in Nigeria’s golden era of the 1960s and 1970s,” he added.

Olaopa emphasized that the public service can be reinvented and institutions can be strengthened by restoring essential management systems in Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), updating outdated national policies, and enhancing the coordination mechanisms within Nigeria’s federal structure.

He pointed out several reforms necessary for the public sector, including revising the one-size-fits-all service-wide operating system that currently relies on circulars, and transitioning from outdated staff performance appraisals to a more robust performance management system.

Addressing concerns about public perception, Olaopa lamented that many citizens view public institutions as ineffective and unresponsive to their needs.

“The relationship between public officials and citizens remains overly bureaucratic, with decision-making still paternalistic and lacking meaningful public engagement,” he said.

He further argued that service provision in the public sector remains a monopoly, lacking the customer-centric approach common in the private sector, where citizens can choose, criticize, and demand better services.

Olaopa also stressed the need to eliminate red tape and operational bottlenecks, advocating for the automation and reengineering of MDAs to promote inter-departmental and inter-sectoral collaboration.

He suggested that MDAs should be restructured to deliver measurable results and outcomes, with accountability for resource allocation and use.

To ensure greater accountability, Olaopa proposed that MDAs be held to new performance standards, with a focus on efficiency and productivity.

He called for a cultural shift in the public service, moving away from valuing loyalty and compliance to prioritizing measurable results and accountability.

Further advocating for a deepened respect for public interest, he harped the need for a renewed emphasis on ethical conduct, and the establishment of a new code of conduct for public servants.