CIVIL SERVICE MENTORING POLICY

A Policy sets up a mentoring system that pairs senior civil servants with junior and mid-level staff for professional development. It targets junior officers, mid-level managers, and women from underrepresented groups. This builds leadership capacity and retains talented staff.

What Is This Policy?

The Federal Civil Service Mentoring Policy establishes a structured mentoring system within the federal public service, pairing experienced senior officers with junior and mid-level staff to accelerate professional development, transmit institutional knowledge, build leadership capacity, and retain talented civil servants through supported, relationship-based career growth.

Who Does It Target?

Junior civil servants at GL 06 to GL 10 who are in the early stages of their federal public service career Mid-level officers at GL 11 to GL 14 preparing for senior management responsibilities Women officers and officers from underrepresented groups who benefit from targeted mentoring to overcome structural career barriers Senior officers at GL 15 to GL 17 who serve as mentors, deepening their own leadership skills through the mentoring relationship

What Does It Aim to Achieve?

Transfer institutional knowledge from experienced officers to junior staff, reducing the organisational memory loss that occurs when senior officers retire Build a pipeline of capable, well-rounded civil servants ready to assume leadership roles across the service Improve retention of high-potential officers by providing them with visible career investment and structured development pathways Foster a culture of collaboration, professional generosity, and shared purpose within the federal civil service

Key Features

Structured Pairing System: Mentees are matched with mentors based on career goals, subject expertise, and compatibility through a formal OHCSF matching process conducted annually 12-Month Mentoring Cycle: Each mentoring relationship runs for a minimum of 12 months; pairs are required to meet at least once per month and document progress Mentoring Agreement: Both mentor and mentee sign a formal agreement at the start of the programme outlining goals, meeting schedules, confidentiality expectations, and evaluation criteria Women Leadership Track: A dedicated women's mentoring track supports female officers aspiring to director and permanent secretary levels, addressing the gender gap in senior civil service leadership Cross-MDA Mentoring: Officers may be mentored by senior colleagues in different MDAs, broadening their understanding of the entire government system beyond their home ministry Recognition for Mentors: Mentors who complete full cycles are recognised at the annual OHCSF Excellence Awards; mentoring contribution counts toward leadership competency ratings

Current Status

Rollout Stage: Active; pilot cohorts completed in 2022 to 2023; national scale-up to all MDAs from 2024 Implementing Body: Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF); MDA HR Directorates; Centre for Management Development (CMD) as training partner Coverage: Federal MDAs; targeting 5,000 active mentoring pairs by 2025 Funding: OHCSF Human Capital Development budget; training interventions funded through CMD and TETFund institutional capacity building allocations

How to Access

As a Mentee: Express interest in the mentoring programme through your MDA's HR Directorate each January; complete the OHCSF mentoring intake form specifying your career goals and preferences As a Mentor: Volunteer as a mentor through your HR Directorate or OHCSF's mentor recruitment call; attend the mandatory mentor orientation training before commencing MDAs: Designate a mentoring programme coordinator in your HR Directorate; submit quarterly progress reports to OHCSF; host at least two mentoring events per year Contact: OHCSF: ohcsf.gov.ng | +234 (0)9 523 0396 | Phase 1 Federal Secretariat, Shehu Shagari Way, Garki, Abuja

Official Resources

Website: ohcsf.gov.ng Contact: OHCSF, HCD Directorate, Phase 1 Federal Secretariat, Shehu Shagari Way, Garki, Abuja Policy Summary | Source: OHCSF, FCSSIP 2021-2025, CMD Nigeria, SERVICOM Nigeria, Head of Service Circulars | February 2026

Legal Framework

The Civil Service Mentoring Policy operates under the Federal Civil Service Commission Act, the Public Service Rules 2008, and the National Human Resources Management Policy for the Public Service. It aligns with the Federal Government's Public Service Reform Programme, the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation's guidelines on staff development, and the OECD Human Resources Management frameworks for public administration capacity building.