By Mercy Aikoye
The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) and the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) are set to deepen collaboration on digital identity integration and public sector reforms as part of efforts to strengthen governance and improve service delivery across government institutions.
The decision was reached on Monday during a meeting between the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, and the Director-General of NIMC, Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, in Abuja.
To kick-start the process, Walson-Jack nominated senior officials from both organisations to identify priority areas of collaboration that will culminate in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
She described national identity as a critical pillar of effective governance and stressed the need for stronger institutional collaboration to build a seamless digital identity ecosystem across the public service.
The Head of Service also commended NIMC’s ongoing reforms, particularly the successful implementation of the new NIMC Act and the approval of the commission’s long-awaited Scheme of Service, describing both as significant milestones in repositioning the agency.
“There is nothing like working with an obsolete law. It pulls you back. You can’t do the things you want to do. Kudos to you and your team. We are happy to have approved the Scheme of Service, and we believe it will add value to the civil service, the public service and especially to NIMC,” she said.
Walson-Jack noted that NIMC’s five-point transformation agenda aligns with the Federal Government’s public service reform initiatives, particularly in the areas of digital transformation, human capital development, institutional excellence and capacity building.
She praised the commission’s investment in staff development and workplace reforms, saying its decision to engage retired Permanent Secretaries as mentors was a model worthy of emulation by other government agencies.
“I am so excited to hear all that you are doing. The working tools, the training, the capacity building, the HR reforms, you have done remarkably well. I am also impressed that you found it necessary to engage retired Permanent Secretaries. Other agencies should emulate this approach,” she stated.
Responding, the Director-General of NIMC, Coker-Odusote, expressed appreciation to the Head of Service for approving the commission’s Scheme of Service, noting that the proposal had remained pending since 2007.
“I have been requesting for this since 2007, and you are the Head of Service that approved it for us. Thank you so much. This aligns perfectly with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the Federal Government’s public service reforms,” she said.
She explained that NIMC had since embarked on a comprehensive institutional transformation anchored on five strategic pillars: human capital development, institutional excellence, technology-driven operations, global competitiveness and improved service delivery.
According to her, the commission replaced its manual staff appraisal system with a technology-enabled Employee Performance Management System introduced in October 2025. The initiative, she said, includes performance contracts for directors and heads of departments, measurable Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), quarterly performance reviews and automated monitoring.
Coker-Odusote disclosed that more than 600 headquarters staff and nearly 4,000 personnel across over 200 enrolment centres nationwide had been trained under the new system, with over 85 per cent of implementation already completed.
She added that NIMC’s Human Resource Information System now automates staff appraisals, promotions, pensions and personnel records, significantly improving efficiency and accountability.
