The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM), the apex regulatory body for Human Resource Management in Nigeria, has once again demonstrated its central role in shaping the future of people management in the country.

At a high-profile sensitisation workshop held at the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), Abuja, Didi Esther Walson-Jack, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, unveiled The HR Initiative — a landmark reform aimed at professionalising Human Resource Management within the Federal Civil Service.

In her keynote address, Walson-Jack stressed the urgent need to reposition HR in government, describing it as the “nervous system of any effective organisation.”

She outlined that the reform, anchored on global best practices, would ensure that career progression into directorate-level roles requires professional certification in Human Resource Management.

Crucially, the OHCSF reaffirmed that CIPM is the only institution with statutory authority to certify HR professionals in Nigeria, in line with its enabling Act.

This positions CIPM as the indispensable partner in delivering the professionalisation agenda.

Mallam Ahmed Ladan Gobir, President and Chairman of the Governing Council of CIPM welcomed the reform, describing it as “a defining moment for Nigeria’s public sector.”

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He noted that with CIPM’s decades-long commitment to advancing HR standards, the Institute is fully prepared to guide the civil service through this transformation.

“CIPM is proud to play a pivotal role in shaping a new era of professionalism, competence, and accountability in the Federal Civil Service. This reform reinforces our mandate to develop ethical and world-class HR practitioners who drive sustainable people and organisational performance,” Gobir said.

The HR Initiative will introduce a national HR competency framework, accreditation by CIPM and international partners, curriculum review for Management Development Institutes, and a transition plan requiring officers in HR roles to commence certification within 12 months. By January 2026, preference in HR postings will go to certified or actively certifying professionals.

The reform is in line with the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021–2025 (FCSSIP25) and will institutionalise HR as a specialised, professional function rather than a generalist administrative role.

With this development, CIPM’s leadership as the statutory regulator of HR practice in Nigeria is further consolidated.

The Institute remains committed to partnering with government, professional bodies, and international organisations to ensure that Nigeria’s Federal Civil Service becomes globally benchmarked, citizen-focused, and future-ready.

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers. She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay. She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos. As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender. She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies. Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category. She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category. She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations. Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.

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