We will reposition HR in MDAs – OHCSF
The Federal Government has announced plans to professionalise Human Resource (HR) management within the civil service, making certification in HR a prerequisite for career progression into directorate-level positions. This was disclosed by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, during a sensitisation workshop held in Abuja. She unveiled […]
Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack
The Federal Government has announced plans to professionalise Human Resource (HR) management within the civil service, making certification in HR a prerequisite for career progression into directorate-level positions.
This was disclosed by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, during a sensitisation workshop held in Abuja.
She unveiled The HR Initiative, a reform programme designed to reposition HR practice across government ministries, departments and agencies.
Walson-Jack described HR as the “nervous system of any effective organisation” and said the reform was anchored on global best practices to improve efficiency, accountability and professionalism within the public sector.
She further emphasised that the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM) is the only statutory body authorised to certify HR professionals in the country. “Only CIPM has the mandate to professionalise HR in Nigeria,” she stated, reaffirming the Institute’s central role in driving the reforms.
President and Chairman of the CIPM Governing Council, Mallam Ahmed Ladan Gobir, hailed the initiative as “a defining moment for Nigeria’s public sector.”
He assured that the Institute, with decades of experience in advancing HR standards, was fully prepared to guide the civil service through the transition.
The HR Initiative includes the introduction of a national HR competency framework, accreditation in partnership with CIPM and international bodies, curriculum review for Management Development Institutes, and a transition plan requiring officers currently in HR roles to commence certification within 12 months. By January 2026, preference in HR postings will be given to certified or actively certifying officers.
The reform aligns with the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021–2025 (FCSSIP25), which seeks to institutionalise HR as a specialised professional function rather than a generalist administrative role.
With this step, CIPM’s position as the statutory regulator of HR practice in Nigeria has been further consolidated, as the government moves to build a globally benchmarked and citizen-focused civil service.