The Federal Government has approved a ₦10 billion housing loan scheme aimed at expanding access to home ownership for civil servants.
The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack, announced this on Friday in Abuja during a press briefing.
She said the scheme will be implemented through the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria and the Federal Government Staff Housing Loans Board.
According to her, the programme is designed to improve welfare and increase productivity across the civil service by making home ownership easier for workers.
“The Federal Government has approved a ₦10 billion housing loan scheme to improve access to home ownership for civil servants. This loan will be facilitated through the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria and the Federal Government Staff Housing Loans Board,” she said.
Walson-Jack explained that owning a home has a strong impact on workers’ morale and performance.
“There is a saying that a person who owns their own home stands differently. When a civil servant knows that their family has a place they can call their own, they come to work with a different swagger, with more stability, more focus and more purpose,” she said.
She described the initiative as part of broader reforms within the public service, adding that it reflects the administration’s approach to governance.
“What you are witnessing is not simply a welfare package. It is a philosophy. It is the operating belief of this administration that a well-supported civil servant is a more effective civil servant, and a more effective civil service delivers a stronger Nigeria,” she said.
She also noted ongoing efforts to modernise the civil service through digitalisation and improved efficiency.
“We are simultaneously building the civil service of tomorrow, a service that is digital and paperless, efficient and transparent, accountable and innovation-driven,” she stated.
Walson-Jack reaffirmed her commitment to improving the welfare and capacity of civil servants.
“As Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, I am committed to ensuring that every civil servant earns better and grows better, with the skills, tools and institutional support to reach their full potential,” she said.
She highlighted the importance of collaboration across government institutions in driving reforms.
“The achievements we are celebrating today did not come through the effort of a single institution. They are the product of deliberate, sustained collaboration across ministries, extra-ministerial departments and agencies,” she explained.
She listed key institutions involved, including the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Budget Office of the Federation, and the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation.
“This is the power of collaboration across government, not working in silos, but institutions working together, each contributing its statutory mandate towards a shared national purpose,” she said.
She urged ministries, departments and agencies to sustain the spirit of cooperation.
“I call on every MDA to carry this spirit of collaboration forward, beyond welfare, into service delivery, policy implementation, and every area where whole-of-government action can make a difference for Nigeria,” she said.
Looking ahead to Workers’ Day on 1 May, she said this year’s celebration would be significant for civil servants.
“For the first time in a long time, civil servants can point to concrete, contemporaneous evidence that their contributions are valued at the highest levels,” she said.
She added that Workers’ Day is also a moment for reflection and renewal.
“Workers’ Day is not just about remembering the struggles of the past, it is about renewing the promise for the future, that those who serve this nation will be treated with justice, fairness and gratitude,” she said.
Walson-Jack commended civil servants for their dedication and resilience.
“To every civil servant, this is your time, your moment, your season of recognition, reward and renewed purpose. The sacrifices you have made, the long hours, the professionalism exercised even in difficult circumstances have not been invisible,” she said.
