Abuja: Dr Clarice Ujah of the Federal Ministry of Education has won the Presidential Distinguished Civil Service Career Award, receiving a car gift at the 2026 Rewards and Recognition Awards. The Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation held the ceremony in Abuja, where other awardees received cash gifts.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Education won the highest number of awards, including the Presidential Civil Service Merit Award and the Head of Service EPIC Award. The Federal Ministry of Youth Development secured the Best Civil Service Excellence Award, while the Ministry of Trade and Investment received the Diversity, Equal and Inclusive Leadership Award. The Federal Ministries of Agriculture and Food Security and Power jointly won the Sports Achievement Award, and the Ministry of Regional Development shared the Head of Service EPIC Award with Education.
The Head of Service, Didi Walson-Jack, stated that the awards were designed to create a culture where excellence and outstanding performance are recognized and rewarded. She emphasized the importance of recognizing exceptional officers because their contributions are often pivotal to successful policies and projects, leading to improved processes and better services for citizens. Walson-Jack congratulated the awardees, encouraging them to continue leading by example, mentoring younger officers, and maintaining high standards. She also advised unsuccessful nominees to persist in improving and innovating.
Walson-Jack explained that the Rewards and Recognition System includes monthly departmental, annual ministerial, and service-wide rewards and recognition components. She expressed concern over the low number of recipients in 2026, attributing it to some ministries’ failure to follow procedures or submit nominations. She urged permanent secretaries to fully implement the system to ensure deserving officers are recognized. Additionally, she commended the selection committee and supporters of the program.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, represented by Sani Aminu, highlighted the crucial role of the Civil Service in implementing government policies and national priorities. He mentioned that the Tinubu administration had institutionalized rewards and recognition alongside welfare and performance measures approved by the Federal Executive Council. Akume stressed the importance of assessing performance based on evidence, results, and merit, and urged awardees to serve as models of competence and professionalism.
The Federal Civil Service Commission Chairman, Tunji Olaopa, emphasized that rewards and sanctions are essential for enhancing performance. He advocated for merit-based recruitment, career progression, ethics, and stronger manpower planning. Olaopa also called for restructuring the bureaucracy, improving remuneration, and adopting digital infrastructure for budgeting, asset management, and inventory tracking.
Responding on behalf of the awardees, Ujah expressed gratitude for the recognition, describing it as a strong motivation for committed civil servants. He thanked officials and stakeholders and assured that the recipients would be encouraged to do more.