Linus Aleke in Abuja
Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, has called for a review of the salary structure of public servants in Nigeria to reflect current economic realities, address the rising cost of living and correct abnormal disparities in the remuneration of Permanent Secretaries, Directors, Ministers, Directors-General and other heads of government agencies.
He emphasised the need for a fair and sustainable remuneration system that would improve workers’ welfare, boost morale, help tackle corruption within the service and enhance productivity across the public service.
Mustapha made the call while delivering the keynote address at the Colloquium and Unveiling of the Council of Retired Federal Permanent Secretaries and Heads of the Civil Service of the Federation (CORFEPS) Journal on Public Policy and Governance at the Rotunda, Tafawa Balewa House, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja.
The event, which marked the beginning of CORFEPS Week 2026, was themed “Navigating the Headwinds of Governance: Centrality of the Civil Service”.
Mustapha said the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, in collaboration with the Federal Civil Service and the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, must address the disparities in public sector remuneration.
“The National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission has an important role in remuneration options. I sometimes feel a little bit embarrassed when I see budget estimates that come out of successive governments over and over, and they are running into trillions of naira and the people that are supposed to manage those trillions of naira earn peanuts,” he said.
He questioned the rationale behind entrusting public servants with enormous responsibilities without adequately remunerating them, describing the situation in which some agency heads earn more than Ministers and Permanent Secretaries combined as abnormal.
Citing Singapore’s remuneration structure, he noted that its Prime Minister earned $2.6 million annually, compared with the $400,000 earned by the US President, Donald Trump. He attributed Singapore’s leadership structure to its rigorous recruitment process, which draws many leaders from the civil service.
In a goodwill message, the Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission, Prof. Tunji Olaopa, supported Mustapha’s position, stressing that policies could only be as effective as the workforce responsible for implementing them.
“Professionalising the civil service is therefore not rhetoric. It involves deep talent management reforms and investment in capacity development, training and retraining,” he said.
Olaopa noted that retaining talented personnel remained a major challenge despite the service’s ability to attract highly capable individuals. He disclosed that he had discussed the issue with the Salaries and Wages Commission, adding that ongoing deliberations could help advance civil service reforms.
Declaring the colloquium open, Vice-President Kashim Shettima, represented by the Special Adviser to the President on Power Infrastructure in the Office of the Vice-President, Sadiq Wanka, described the civil service as central to national development and the state’s ability to fulfil its obligations to citizens.
He said the Renewed Hope Agenda reflected the administration’s response to Nigeria’s economic and social challenges, adding that the government had shifted its focus from the number of policies announced and committees inaugurated to whether public interventions solved problems and improved lives.
He cited compulsory ministerial deliverables coordinated by the Central Delivery Coordinating Unit (CDCU) and ministerial briefings as mechanisms for assessing government performance.
“We are committed to providing positive answers to everyday questions that the average Nigerians want answer to, such as, Are services reaching the people for whom they are intended? Are public funds generating value? Are decisions timely and evidence-informed? Can citizens see and trust the results?” he asked.
The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mr Olumuyiwa Enitan Abel, said the colloquium provided a platform for intellectual engagement, professional reflection and the exchange of ideas on strengthening governance and repositioning the civil service for greater effectiveness.
He stressed that effective governance depended on the civil service’s ability to provide objective advice, implement policies efficiently and remain accountable to citizens.
Earlier, the National Chairman of CORFEPS, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, said the council was established to enable retired Permanent Secretaries and former Heads of the Civil Service to contribute their experience, professional knowledge and institutional memory to national development.
“Our retirement from formal office does not diminish our commitment to Nigeria. Rather, it provides an opportunity to reflect on our collective experience, draw lessons from our service and offer constructive advice on matters of public policy and administration. This commitment is captured in our motto: ‘Continuing Patriotic Service’,” he said.
Ahmed added that CORFEPS continued to organise policy dialogues, seminars and conferences, conduct research and provide advice on matters of national importance.
“We believe that those who have served the nation at the highest levels of public administration have a responsibility to make their accumulated knowledge available to succeeding generations,” he said.