Eight Civil Servants, Institutions Win 2026 Federal Service Awards
Eight civil servants and institutions have emerged winners of the 2026 Federal Civil Service Rewards and Recognition Awards, with the Federal Government using the ceremony to reinforce its drive for excellence, integrity, innovation and accountability in the public service.
The awards were presented on Saturday, August 15, 2026, at the State House Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The Presidential Distinguished Civil Service Career Award, the top individual honour, went to Ujam Claris of the Federal Ministry of Education, who received a brand-new SUV as the star prize.
The award ceremony, organised by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), recognised outstanding civil servants and institutions for exceptional performance and contributions to public service delivery.
Other individual and institutional award recipients include Abumoye Ayo Emmanuel, who received the Presidential Civil Service Merit Award.
Anthony Okechukwu Ogwo and Peter Ochoche Emmanuel jointly received the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation EPIC Award.
The Youth Help Desk of the Federal Ministry of Youth Development won the Civil Service Excellence Award, while the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment emerged winner of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Leadership Award.
Aseyaiseimor Pente Kelvin and Yaman Kate Akpoarebi were also recognised with the Sports Achievement Award.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Special Services Office, Sani Aminu Yargaya, described the award recipients as public servants whose achievements demonstrated character, discipline, integrity, patriotism and commitment to duty.
Akume said the values demonstrated by the awardees were critical to strengthening public confidence in government and supporting President Bola Tinubu’s vision of a more effective, responsive and results-oriented public service.
He noted that the Federal Civil Service remained the machinery through which government policies, national priorities and commitments of elected leaders were translated into programmes, projects and services for Nigerians.
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The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Esther Walson-Jack, said the ceremony represented the government’s determination to make excellence visible and reward performance that delivers value to citizens.
Walson-Jack said the Rewards and Recognition System was built around the principle that “excellence must be recognised, integrity celebrated, and outstanding service never allowed to go unnoticed.”
She explained that the system operates at three levels: Monthly Departmental, Annual Ministerial and Service-Wide Rewards and Recognition.
The Head of Service urged Permanent Secretaries to provide leadership in identifying and recognising deserving officers while encouraging a culture in which high performance is sustained.
She charged the award recipients to view their recognition not merely as an honour but as a responsibility to maintain high standards, mentor younger officers and continue delivering quality public service.
According to her, the ultimate objective is to build a Federal Civil Service where excellence is expected, deliberately encouraged, recognised and rewarded.
Walson-Jack commended President Bola Tinubu for his support for civil service transformation and acknowledged the contributions of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to ongoing reforms.
She also appreciated the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation for supporting the HCSF EPIC Award with cash rewards, Leadway Assurance Company Limited for donating the brand-new vehicle presented as the overall prize, and the Nigerian Communications Commission for its partnership in the programme.
The Permanent Secretary, Service Welfare Office, Abdul S. U. Garba, described the ceremony as a celebration of dedication, innovation, excellence and exemplary service.
Garba commended members of the Service-Wide Awards Selection Committee and Planning Committee for ensuring what he described as an objective, transparent and merit-based selection process.
The 2026 ceremony, the OHCSF said, underscores the Federal Government’s commitment to building a public service in which performance is visible, excellence is rewarded and integrity is valued.
The government said the recognition of outstanding officers and institutions would ultimately contribute to improved service delivery and better outcomes for Nigerians.
By PRNigeria
