The Federal Government on Thursday commenced a three-day strategic retreat in Abuja to harmonise the methodology for the Personnel Audit and Skills Gap Analysis (PASGA) across the Federal Civil Service.
Declaring the retreat open, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Dr. Didi Walson-Jack, described the initiative as a crucial step in the ongoing civil service reform agenda. She emphasized that the audit will support efforts to build a more efficient, professional, and responsive workforce.
The retreat, which brings together key stakeholders from various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), is expected to set the groundwork for the full-scale execution of the audit.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had earlier ordered a comprehensive PASGA to boost professionalism and improve service delivery across federal government institutions.
According to Walson-Jack, the audit is part of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan (FCSSIP) 2021–2025, and is designed to address structural challenges in the public sector.
“This project will give us what we have long needed — a credible and verifiable personnel database that captures not just numbers, but also skills, competencies, and workforce distribution across MDAs,” she said.
She noted that such data will enable evidence-based planning, strategic deployment, transparent succession planning, and targeted capacity building.
Walson-Jack further stated that the PASGA is foundational to reimagining Nigeria’s public service, as it will help determine where training is most needed and support long-term planning for the next generation of civil servants.
“With accurate data, we can direct capacity building where it is most needed and plan effectively for the future,” she added.
She urged participants at the retreat to collaborate in developing a unified and practical methodology that will be applied uniformly across the civil service to ensure consistency, credibility, and transparency.
The outcomes of the retreat are expected to guide future decisions in areas such as recruitment, promotions, training, postings, and succession planning within the Federal Civil Service.
The PASGA is seen as a key enabler of broader public sector reforms aimed at delivering better governance outcomes, improving institutional performance, and restoring public confidence in Nigeria’s bureaucratic system.
