The Federal Government has unveiled a ₦10 billion housing loan programme targeted at helping civil servants across Nigeria own homes, according to the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack.
She made the announcement during a press briefing in Abuja, explaining that the scheme will be delivered through the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria and the Federal Government Staff Housing Loans Board.
“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 noted that the initiative is expected to boost morale and efficiency within the public service by providing workers with greater security through home ownership.
“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 added.
She described the programme as part of a broader reform strategy focused on strengthening the civil service.
“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.
Walson-Jack also highlighted ongoing reforms aimed at transforming the public service into a more modern system.
“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.
Reaffirming her commitment to workforce development, she said efforts are underway to ensure civil servants are better equipped to succeed.
“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 stressed that the achievements recorded so far are the result of coordinated efforts across government institutions.
“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.
Among those involved, she listed 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 in concert, each contributing its statutory mandate towards a shared national purpose,” she said.
She urged ministries, departments and agencies to sustain this level of cooperation in all areas of governance.
“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 May 1, Walson-Jack said this year’s celebration would carry added meaning 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 noted.
She added that the occasion should serve as a time to renew commitments to workers’ welfare.
“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 also commended civil servants for their dedication despite challenges.
“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 added.
