FCSSIP 2017 2020 Policy Summary

What Is This Policy?

The Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2017–2020 (FCSSIP20) is Nigeria’s first structured, time-bound reform blueprint for the Federal Civil Service — designed to transform the bureaucracy from a reactive, paper-driven institution into an efficient, productive, incorruptible, and citizen-centred (EPIC) public service. Approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on 12 July 2017 and launched in 2018, the plan was developed by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) under the mandate of the National Strategy for Public Service Reforms (NSPSR 2009). It identified eight priority areas requiring targeted intervention and established concrete milestones, project management structures, and key performance indicators across all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government.

Who Does It Target?

All Federal Civil Servants across Ministries, Extra-Ministerial Departments and Agencies (MDAs) at all grade levels (GL 01–17) Directorate-level officers and Permanent Secretaries responsible for reform governance and compliance The Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) as primary implementing body Federal Government Manpower Development Institutions (MDIs): PSIN, ASCON, and CMD The Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) responsible for appointments, promotions, and discipline Development partners, private sector participants, civil society organisations, and international technical assistance providers

What Does It Aim to Achieve?

Transform the Federal Civil Service into an Efficient, Productive, Incorruptible, and Citizen-centred (EPIC) institution Institutionalise systematic, evidence-based reform through structured project management across all eight priority areas Replace fragmented, piecemeal reform efforts with a comprehensive, coordinated, time-bound national roadmap Embed results-based performance management, replacing the dysfunctional Annual Performance Evaluation Report (APER) with modern KPI-driven appraisal Eliminate ghost workers and strengthen payroll integrity through enhanced IPPIS deployment across all MDAs Digitise civil service operations and build digital competencies to achieve a paperless, technology-driven public service Improve staff welfare, career value proposition, and the retention of top talent within the Service

Key Features

Eight Priority Areas: The plan is structured around eight thematic pillars: (1) Capacity Building & Training, (2) Talent Management, (3) Performance Management, (4) Culture Change & Values, (5) HR Administration (IPPIS), (6) Service Delivery Reform, (7) Staff Welfare, and (8) Enterprise Content Management EPIC Values Framework: Positions ‘Efficient, Productive, Incorruptible, and Citizen-centred’ as the core values benchmark for all civil servant conduct, service delivery, and institutional culture LEAD-P Programme: Leadership Enhancement and Development Programme targeting high-potential officers on GL 10–14 for 7-month intensive policy and leadership training at PSIN, followed by strategic deployment across MDAs SMAT-P Programme: Structured Mandatory Assessment-based Training Programme for all officers on GL 07–17 at Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced levels — ensuring service-wide competency uplift IPPIS-HR Integration: Incorporation of a Human Resource module into the IPPIS payroll platform, transferred to OHCSF oversight to eliminate ghost workers, improve payroll accuracy, and enable end-to-end HR administration Performance Management System: Replacement of the APER with a modern, output-driven PMS built on KPIs, SOPs, and ISO 9001/2015 standards, progressively rolled out across all MDAs Enterprise Content Management: Digitisation of memos, personnel records, and government workflows through deployment of an Enterprise Content Management Solution (ECMS) in partnership with Africa Initiative for Governance (AIG) Innovation Challenge: Annual government-wide innovation competition instituted to reward creative, high-impact solutions to civil service problems, driving a culture of ingenuity across MDAs

Current Status

Rollout Stage: Completed — plan ran from 2018 to December 2020; succeeded by FCSSIP 2021–2025 (FCSSIP25), approved by FEC in December 2021 and officially launched by President Buhari on 23 June 2022 Training Impact: 48,210 civil servants benefited from training programmes under FCSSIP20 (2015–2018); LEAD-P produced its first cohort of 118 graduates; SMAT-P trained over 600 officers virtually including during COVID-19 IPPIS Verification: 66,446 officers verified across six geopolitical zones; 1,618 officers with fake or illegal employment letters detected; 3,657 workers referred to ICPC for investigation following non-appearance at verification Housing (FISH): 4,167 civil servants received housing loans; 2,077 staff benefited from home renovation loans of N1 million each; 342 housing units allocated under the Federal Integrated Staff Housing Programme Promotions: Outstanding promotion examination for 75 Deputy Directors (Administration) settled out of court and conducted at PSIN in collaboration with FCSC ISO Certification: OHCSF achieved ISO 9001/2015 Quality Management System certification in January 2023, establishing a global benchmark for MDA performance evaluation going forward

How to Access

Civil Servants: Participate in LEAD-P or SMAT-P through nominations from your MDA; engage your Reform Coordination & Service Improvement Department to access training schedules and IPPIS self-service MDAs: Establish Innovations and Inventions Committees as required by Chapter 15 of the 2021 Revised Public Service Rules; deploy PMS SOPs and ensure ISO-readiness in compliance with OHCSF quarterly assessments HR Officers: Access IPPIS-HR platform for all payroll updates, staff verification, and HR administration processes; complete mandatory end-user training provided by OHCSF Permanent Secretaries: Oversight LEAD-P graduates deployed to your ministry; lead quarterly FCSSIP performance assessments and drive ISO 9001/2015 certification across your MDA’s operations Contact: Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF): ohcsf.gov.ng | Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR): bpsr.gov.ng | Public Service Institute of Nigeria (PSIN): psin.gov.ng

Important Terms

EPIC: Efficient, Productive, Incorruptible, and Citizen-centred — the core values benchmark driving all FCSSIP reform activities and culture change across the Federal Civil Service FCSSIP20: The acronym for Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2017–2020, Nigeria’s first structured civil service reform plan IPPIS-HR: The Human Resource module integrated into the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System, domiciled in OHCSF to prevent ghost workers and improve payroll governance APER: Annual Performance Evaluation Report — the legacy appraisal tool replaced by the new KPI-based Performance Management System under FCSSIP20 MDAs: Ministries, Extra-Ministerial Departments, and Agencies — the collective term for all Federal Government institutions subject to FCSSIP reform obligations ECMS: Enterprise Content Management Solution — the digital platform for managing memos, records, and workflow across the Service, co-developed with Africa Initiative for Governance

Impact & Metrics

Over 48,000 civil servants trained under various FCSSIP20 capacity building programmes between 2015 and 2018 across grade levels More than 1,600 officers with illegal employment letters detected through IPPIS-HR verification; over 3,600 cases referred to the ICPC Nigeria’s OHCSF achieved ISO 9001/2015 Quality Management System certification in January 2023, the first federal institution to attain this benchmark FCSSIP20 created the foundation and awareness for FCSSIP25 — a successor five-year reform plan approved in December 2021 and covering all six priority pillars through 2025

Official Resources

Website: ohcsf.gov.ng | bpsr.gov.ng | psin.gov.ng | osgf.gov.ng Policy Document: Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2017–2020 — available via the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation Contact: Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), Shehu Shagari Complex, Three Arms Zone, Abuja Summary prepared using the Policy Summary Template | Source: FCSSIP 2017–2020, OHCSF, OSGF, Bureau of Public Service Reforms, Juniper Publishers (Magbadelo, 2024), The Guardian Nigeria | March 2026

Legal Framework

The Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan (FCSSIP) 2017–2020 operates under the Civil Service (Reorganisation) Decree 43 of 1988 (as applicable), the Federal Civil Service Commission Act, and the Public Service Rules 2008. It aligns with the National Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation guidelines, and OECD public administration reform frameworks.