Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, has stressed the need for the civil service to continuously evolve to meet the growing expectations of the citizens in a fast-changing world.
The Governor said this today at the Opening Ceremony of the Y2025 Strategic Meeting of Heads of Service of the Six Southwest States Organized by the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (Dawn) Commission, held at Radisson Blu Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.
Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, added that it is no longer enough to do things the old way, noting that today’s civil service must be driven by innovation, technology, data, and the will to deliver measurable results.
He said, “As custodians of public policy implementation and engine room of government operations, our civil service must continuously evolve to meet the growing expectations of our citizens in a fast-changing world. If Nigeria must be a nation where we all want to keep living, the Southwest must maintain the edge.”
Speaking further, the Governor noted that the Southwest states must collaborate, share best practices, and jointly tackle the challenges that confront the region, adding that as states with a shared history, culture, and vision for regional integration and sustainable development the Civil Service remains a key vehicle for achieving the lofty goals of the DAWN Commission and actualizing the aspirations of the people of the Southwest.
“As a region historically known for setting the pace in governance, education, and social development, let us once again lead the way in building a world-class civil service that can meet the needs of today and prepare us for the challenges of tomorrow,” the Governor said.
Sanwo-Olu added that professionalism in the civil service is the bedrock of efficient governance; it speaks to competence, integrity, accountability, responsiveness, and a culture of continuous improvement.
He therefore urged participants at the event to use the platform to design practical and actionable solutions that will raise the standard of service delivery across the region, admonishing them to adopt policies that attract and retain the best minds in public administration, promote ethical conduct, and harness the power of technology to transform how government works.
Highlighting some of the initiatives of the state government in building a resilient, responsive, and people-oriented public service, Sanwo-Olu said the state government has continued to prioritize the transformation of its public service in line with the THEMES plus agenda, through investments in digital infrastructure, regular training and capacity development, improved welfare for the state workforce, and the institutionalization of merit-based appointments and promotions.
In his welcome address, Lagos State Head of Service, Mr. Olabode Shuaheeb Agoro, said the event is to help with implementing the regional integration agenda by promoting and pursuing sustainable development in the southwest region for the benefit of the citizens.
Highlighting the need for cross-state service engagement programmes in the southwest, Agoro elucidated that the civil service needs to consider the establishment of interstate joint committees to develop joint policies on civil service professionalism, performance evaluation, and ethical standards.
He further stressed the need to consider the redevelopment of a Southwest Civil Service digital portal where policies, reports, and best practices can be accessed by officials across the Southwest states, and also setting up a virtual knowledge sharing session where civil servants can share ideas on reforms, e-government, efficiency and improvement.”
Earlier in his lecture, themed, Deepening Professionalism into Civil Service Toward Improved Service Delivery,” Chairman, Federal Civil Service Commission, Prof. Tunji Olaopa noted that the civil service is an agent of change, adding that today’s public service need to fit into its convergence with technology, and become the basis for comprehensive training for new entrants to the field.
Prof. Olaopa stated that continuously updating public servants’ skills and knowledge to stay current with evolving standards and best practices in public administration is essential, emphasizing that a professional competency framework will enable civil servants to deliver effective public services and drive sustainable development.
In his Remarks, Director-General, Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (Dawn) Commission, Dr. Seye Oyeleye, stated that the Commission considers public service as the backbone of governance and a crucial link between policy and practice, between intent and impact.
Director-General added that the Commission believes professionalism in the civil service must evolve beyond traditional structures to embrace innovation, data-driven decision-making, and ethical responsiveness to the demands of the people.
Dr. Oyeleye noted that Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies transform the public sector globally, and Southwest must lead responsibly in this regard. “This means adopting standards and protocols that protect public interests, while enhancing efficiency and participating actively in shaping ethical frameworks for tech adoption in governments. We are not mere users of innovation,” he concluded.
He explained that technology offers governance tools to streamline operations, enhance transparency, and improve responsiveness, adding that beyond tools, it calls for a mindset shift, one that sees professionalism not just as compliance, but as value-driven, service-rooted innovation.
