As part of efforts to strengthen capacity building and public sector management, the Gambian government has said it is working towards adopting aspects of Nigeria’s civil service reform model.
This was disclosed during a study visit by a high-level Gambian delegation led by the Secretary to the Cabinet and Head of the Civil Service of The Gambia, Alieu Njie, to the Public Service Institute of Nigeria in Abuja.
Njie said the visit was aimed at learning from Nigeria’s experience in public sector reforms, training and institutional development.
According to him, The Gambia is interested in understanding the reforms Nigeria has implemented and how they can be adapted to improve governance in his country.
“We are working towards learning what Nigeria has done and what Nigeria is doing so that we also replicate that in my country. This is why we are here in this country,” he said. Njie described Nigeria as The Gambia’s “big brother,” noting that the country had continued to support The Gambia in several critical sectors.
“There are so many things you can learn from Nigeria. In terms of defence, health and technical aid, we all get it from Nigeria. So obviously, this is very fundamental to us,” he said. The Gambian civil service chief said the delegation had already gained useful lessons from the engagements in Abuja.
Okon said the engagement should not be seen as a one-sided presentation, but as a platform for mutual learning and cooperation. “We do not view this study tour as a one way presentation, but rather as a robust bilateral dialogue. We are eager to learn from your unique experiences in governance and institutional development in The Gambia, just as we share our own,” she said.
She noted that the institute had deepened its technology-driven training and examination processes as part of efforts to improve efficiency in the Nigerian public service. According to her, PSIN had administered about 3,500 technology-driven promotion examinations across ministries, departments and agencies and expanded its training programmes to address emerging skills gaps in the public service.
