Background to the Nigerian Civil Service

The Civil Service is the machinery through which the government implements its policies, designed to meet political aims and provide social services. This however, does not prelude the legislative and the judicial arms of government in the attainment of the objectives of the Civil Service.

Historical Development of the Civil Service

Colony of Lagos and Early Administrative structure.

The establishment of the Nigerian Civil Service dates back to 13th March 1862 when the British government declared its interest in the Port and Island of Lagos under the title of the settlement of Lagos. A government was constituted and provision was made for the various posts of Governor, Chief Magistrate, Colonial Secretary and Senior Military Officers. The Offices of Private Secretary to the Governor and Auditor for Public Accounts, Chief Clerk, Collector of Customs, Judge Gaoler and Registrar were established shortly afterwards.

Amalgamation, Colonial and Administrative Structure By 1906, the British Government had extended its authority over most of Nigeria. The Government began to establish its instruments of Law and Order such as Departments of Judiciary, Police, Prisons and added Public Works Department and the Departments of Customs, Ports and Telegraph. Marine and Mines in quick. In spite of the foregoing, the origin of the Nigerian Civil Service can best be traced to the administration of Lord Lugard who was the Governor-General of the amalgamated administration of Northern and Southern Nigeria from 1914. The real structure of the service as we now know it was put in place by Sir Hugh Clifford who succeeded Lord Lugard and was appointed Governor of Nigeria. He established a Central Secretariat in Lagos in 1921.

Reports of Review Panels and Changes in Administrative Structure

In 1939 similar Secretariats were established for the three broad groups of Provinces administered from Ibadan, Enugu and Kaduna. The 1940s and 1950s saw the emergence of the Nationalist Nigerian Administrator and marked the beginning of a truly Nigerian Civil Service. This period also marked the beginning of pressures for Reforms in the Nigerian Political and Civil Service Structure. Since 1945 various panels have been set up by various governments to study and make recommendations for the reforming of the Civil Service. Prominent amongst these were the Tudoe Davies Commission of 1945; the Harragin Commission of 1946; the Gorsuch Commission of 1954; the Mbanefo Commission of 1959; the Margan Commission of 1963; the Adebo Commission of 1971 and the Udoji Commission of 1972-74. The outcome of the reports of the various panels impacted on the structure of the service and the remuneration and productivity of the Civil Servant.

Contemporary Development

The changes also from the Westminister model to the Presidential System of Government over time also impacted on efficiency, effectiveness and productivity of the Civil Service. The Dotun Philips Panel of 1985 attempted to address observed lapses and inadequacies of the Civil Service. The promulgation of the 1988 Civil Service (Reorganization Decree No.43) had tremendous impact as well on the structure and the efficient performance of the Civil Service. Subsequent study group report as the Ayida Panel not only reversed some of the structural innovations but endeavoured to reinstate the noble values of the Civil Service of the glorious past. Other major efforts aimed at repositioning the Civil Service to meet the challenges of the 21st Century as well as the aspirations of government are manifested in the ongoing "Public Service Reform". The mission of the Reform is to build "a public service that is performance and resultsoriented, customer-driven, investor-friendly, professional, technologically sensitive, accountable, fostering partnerships with all stakeholders and committed to a continuous improvement in government business and the enhancement of overall national productivity". The overall Vision is: "A Nigerian Public Service that works efficiently and effectively for the people"

Celebration of The Nigerian Civil Service Day

Origin The African Training and Research Centre in Administration for Development (CAFRAD), in its First Biannual Conference of African Ministers of Civil Service in Tangier Morocco, adopted the Tangier Declaration; which among other things obliges all African Countries to commemorate African Day of Administration and Civil Service comes every 23rd June annually. In line with this tradition, Nigeria has since the onset of the present administration in 1999 been observing the 23rd of June each year as the Nigerian Civil Service Day. This year's Celebration is the Seventh in line.