Chairman, Federal Civil Service Commission, Prof. Tunji Olaopa, has said that his organisation will enlist Abia as a pilot state in the implementation of its strategic plan.

The FCSC strategic plan is a five-year plan (2026-2030) to reform Nigeria’s civil service by enhancing merit-based recruitment, implementing performance-driven promotions, and using digital transformation. Its six pillars include strengthening institutional independence, introducing competitive digital recruitment, linking promotions to performance, automating HR, embedding ethical governance, and ensuring inclusivity and equity. The plan aims to professionalize the civil service, improve efficiency, and position it to support a $1 trillion economy.

Olaopa disclosed the plan to involve Abia in the plan when he paid a courtesy visit to the state Governor Alex Otti on Monday as a part of the programme for the 44th Annual National Council of Civil Service Commissions holding in Abia .

Olaopa said that making Abia as a partner had become necessary not only in view of the remarkable professionalism the Chairman of the State Civil Service Commission (CSC), Pastor Eno Jerry, PhD, had demonstrated in hosting the 2025 national council but
“also because of the professionalism that I previously observed during her presentation of Abia State institutional reform as case study during the AAPSCOMMS Conference in Nairobi in 2024 and the core HR expertise that she has brought to her office as chair of the Commission in Abia.”

Describing Otti as a performing governor, Olaopa said that he appreciated him for the indescribable passion he had demonstrated in hosting the 2025 National Council of the Civil Service Commissions of the federation .

“I must say that the interest and the labour of love is not misplaced. And with such a remarkable professional as chair of the Abia State CSC, the least we should do will be for the Council to enlist Abia State as one of the pilot partner-states in the implementation of the strategic plan which the FCSC just developed to inspire a national movement to transform the civil service commissions into hubs of HR professionalism and expert nodal point of HR advisory to governments in Nigeria”, he said.

Olaopa said further that at a personal level, and as part of a natural desire to be familiar with his environment, he had tried to decode two brand emblems of Abia, which “are Umuahia_Ibeku and Abia, the God’s own state” .

According to him, he is aware that these emblems do not just drop from the air as they have some grand narratives behind them “just as Oyo State, my state of origin, claims to be Pacesetter State because it has the fortune of many firsts: the UI, Liberty Stadium, WNTV/WNBC, Cocoa House, etc.”

Earlier, Governor Otti spoke about his vision to reposition and professionalize the Abia State civil service so it is merit-based, accountable and performance cum value driven. He said his commitment to values and integrity informed his choice of Jerry as the chairman of the state civil service commission. Dr. Jerry according to him has a lot to lose if things go wrong with human resource and career management of Abia civil service.

He explained how a merit system came to play in the selection of permanent secretaries, teachers and even judges in the state. As far as he is concerned if the best candidate comes from outside of Abia, the respect he has for excellence prevails, thus the Abia State Head of Service is from Edo State.

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