Nigeria honours exceptional Public Servants

By Haruna Salami

The Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), honoured 18 exemplary public servants at the 2025 Federal Civil Service Rewards and Recognition Awards Ceremony, held at the State House Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja. The prestigious event, marking the grand finale of the 2025 Civil Service Week, spotlighted individuals whose dedication, innovation, and integrity have driven meaningful progress across Nigeria’s public sector.

The ceremony’s highest honour, the Presidential Distinguished Civil Service Career Award, was presented to Engr. (Dr.) Bahijjahtu Hadiza Abubakar, Director of Pollution Control & Environmental Health at the Federal Ministry of Environment. Her transformative leadership in advancing Nigeria’s environmental sustainability agenda serves as a beacon of hope for the future.

 Meanwhile, Dr. Oluwabamidele Ibrahim Kobe, Assistant Chief Administrative Officer at the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, received the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation EPIC Award for his exceptional commitment to administrative excellence and innovative policy implementation.

 Other awardees were celebrated across categories, including Digital Transformation, Citizen-Centric Service Delivery, and Leadership in Public Sector Innovation, reinforcing the government’s commitment to fostering a merit-driven civil service.

 In her keynote address, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, OON, mni, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, lauded the awardees as embodiments of the “quiet achievers” who power Nigeria’s progress. “Today, we celebrate not just titles, but impact, not positions, but purpose,” she declared. “These honourees have demonstrated that excellence is not an accident, but a choice, one built on discipline, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to serving the Nigerian people”, she said.