By Ihechinyere Chigemeri-Uwom, Umuahia
Some State Civil Service Commissions on Tuesday called for digital human resources systems, verified graduate databases, strict age-record enforcement, and reforms to modernise the public service and boost efficiency.
The call was made during the technical session of the 44th National Council Meeting of the Civil Service Commissions of the Federation, with the theme
“Repositioning Civil Service Commissions in Nigeria as Hubs of Professionalism in Public Service Human Resource Management,” in Umuahia.
Delegates emphasised staff training, political commitment, and robust data management as critical, noting that technology alone cannot drive reform without skilled personnel and clear governance structures.
The Permanent Secretary of the Abia Civil Service Commission, Mrs Ekaette Oham, proposed adoption of a Human Resource Management Information System (HRMIS) to modernise personnel management in the state.
Oham said HRMIS would replace manual record-keeping, improve payroll accuracy, and enhance transparency and workforce planning across ministries and agencies.
She added that the system would strengthen coordination between the civil service and the Office of the Head of Service, ensuring timely, evidence-based human resources decisions.
Oham stressed political will, staff training, and proper data migration were key, noting the system would bridge administrative and bureaucratic gaps for efficiency.
In his speech, the Permanent Secretary, Kaduna Civil Service Commission, Dr Yusuf Saleh, proposed a national graduate data bank to curb fake certificates and improve recruitment processes across Nigeria.
Saleh said that the database would centralize verified graduate information from accredited tertiary institutions, supporting employment, workforce planning, and educational policy formulation.
He urged collaboration among the Federal Civil Service Commission, Ministry of Education, NUC, NBTE, and NCCE for smooth implementation and effective data management.
Also, the Permanent Secretary, Imo Civil Service Commission, Mr Evans Iroanya, urged the Council to enforce strict sanctions on officers altering age records to extend service years.
Iroanya said that age falsification distorted career progression, blocked vacancies, hindered youth employment, and weakened discipline in the public service.
He emphasised retirement at 60 years or 35 years of service as mandatory and must not be manipulated.
Iroanya recommended a proclamation directing federal, state, and local governments to dismiss and prosecute officers caught with multiple dates of birth and enforce strict verification.
The Chairman of Rivers Civil Service Commission, Dr Livinus Bariki, proposed a digital transformation programme to reposition civil service commissions as hubs of professionalism.
Bariki said that the reform would address manual record-keeping, long approval processes, low productivity, weak monitoring, poor coordination, and ineffective citizen-engagement channels.
He recommended a central cloud-based digital platform integrating ministries, departments, and agencies for real-time data access, e-governance, e-files, e-approvals, and automated HR management.
Bariki presented a SWOT analysis highlighting strengths, such as improved efficiency, transparency, and reduced corruption; weaknesses included inadequate ICT infrastructure and resistance to change.
He said that the benefits of the initiative included public-private partnerships, data-driven governance, and workforce development; while the threats were cybersecurity risks, outdated legislation, funding instability, and system downtime.
He proposed an inter-ministerial committee led by the Civil Service Commission to design an implementation blueprint.
Bariki also called for adoption of strong data-protection standards, and ensure uniform processes across Ministries,Departments and Agencies.
In a related development,a human resource management expert, Prof. Chris Osarumwense, urged Civil Service Commissions in Nigeria to adopt a phased and pragmatic approach to public-sector reforms for measurable results.Osarumwense stressed the need for clear role definition, strong institutional capacity, and better coordination among reform agencies to ensure reforms are effectively implemented and avoid overlaps.
He noted that the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) and the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) must clarify mandates to prevent duplication.
The expert advised the Commissions to prioritise a few high-impact reforms rather than attempt to implement all aspects of the national strategic plan at once.
He highlighted the importance of improving internal capability, especially in digital human resource management, competency-based recruitment, and merit-driven promotion systems, as essential for sustainable reforms.
Osarumwense warned that public-sector reforms may remain fragmented unless federal initiatives were aligned with state-level programmes, stressing that vertical coherence remains critical for long-term success.
He called for reforms to include continuous learning, monitoring, and adjustments, noting many government programmes fail due to weak execution and poor organisational culture.
The expert added that commissions, control recruitment, discipline human resource and governance, and have significant influence on whether reforms translate into tangible public service improvements.
He urged the commissions to strengthen capacity, streamline priorities, and adopt deliberate implementation strategies to build a modern, efficient, and development-driven public sector.
