By Becky Usman

The Nigerian Federal Government is considering implementing a single salary scale for civil servants in ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) that will be performance-based. The Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Folashade Yemi-Esan, revealed this during a virtual interactive session with civil servants from various MDAs.

The government aims to improve the welfare of civil servants, especially in light of the removal of the subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (petrol). Plans are being developed to introduce a single salary scale for workers, which will be linked to their productivity rather than their profession. Additionally, the government plans to provide allowances, palliatives, and subsidized transportation to cushion the economic effects faced by civil servants in the coming weeks.

The Head of Service also addressed the issue of promotion arrears and stressed the importance of timely release of promotion letters to avoid accumulation of promotion allowances. She urged MDAs to submit their requests for promotion arrears on time to ensure prompt processing.

Furthermore, the government aims to receive feedback from civil servants on the ongoing transformation of the civil service. Various initiatives under the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021-2025 (FCSSIP 25) have been highlighted, including induction, SMAT-P, and LEAD-P, which have been revived to enhance the service’s competitiveness compared to other countries.

The importance of digitalization and Performance Management System has also been emphasized as critical drivers of high productivity within the civil service. These measures are part of the government’s efforts to improve the overall work environment and conditions for civil servants and foster efficiency and productivity within the service.