OHCSF Approves NIMC’s First Service Scheme and Introduces New Career Cadres

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

The Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) has approved the National Identity Management Commission’s (NIMC) inaugural Scheme of Service. This approval marks a significant institutional milestone designed to boost the commission’s operational efficiency and expand career development opportunities for its staff.

The commission described the approval as a landmark achievement that will provide a comprehensive framework for its operations. The Scheme will clearly define staff cadres, promotion pathways, organisational structure, job responsibilities, qualification requirements, and professional standards.

According to the commission, the new Scheme of Service aligns with Public Service Rules and international best practices in career progression and institutional development.

NIMC credited the achievement to the reform initiatives championed by its Director General and Chief Executive Officer, Abisoye Coker‑Odusote. She said the development reflects her strategic vision of repositioning the commission as a modern, efficient, and globally competitive institution.

The commission said the Scheme is anchored on the DG’s five‑point agenda and her people‑centred leadership approach, which prioritises institutional excellence and human‑capital development in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

During the formal presentation ceremony, the Deputy Director, Scheme of Service, Organisational Design Department in the OHCSF, Mr. Imirhe Gabriel Nwagolo, praised NIMC for its commitment to institutional excellence. He noted that the commission is among a select few federal agencies that have successfully secured approval for a dedicated Scheme of Service, describing the feat as evidence of its dedication to strengthening internal systems and workforce management.

Speaking on behalf of the Director General, the Head of Human Capital Management at NIMC, Mrs. Rhoda Jackden, thanked the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation for the approval. She called the development “a laudable and significant milestone” and reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to fully and effectively implementing the Scheme.

As part of the reforms, the approved Scheme introduces new Enrolment, Card and Commercial Cadres alongside existing career structures. The move is expected to deepen professional specialisation and enhance the commission’s capacity to deliver on its mandate of identity management and digital identification services across the country.

The approval comes as NIMC continues to pursue reforms aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s identity management ecosystem and building a more responsive institution capable of supporting the country’s digital transformation and inclusive governance objectives.