Chapter 15

Servicom

Background

To improve service delivery to Nigerians, a service research team of the government of Nigeria investigated in December 2003 the process undertaken by the British government to improve service delivery to its citizenry. A ‘diagnostic audit’ of service delivery reflecting on people’s view and experiences of services and examining the institutional environment in Nigeria was then conducted and a list of suggested key actions and institutional arrangements to ensure effective service delivery developed. The report on Nigerian service delivery released in 2004 found that services were not serving people and that they were inaccessible, poor in quality and indifferent to customer needs, as a result of years of military rule and political instability characterised by systematic corruption, duplications and conflict of responsibility among public offices which made them deflect work to one another, and negative incentives of low enumeration and lack of performance management for the workforce.

Past Reform and Achievements

On 21 March 2004 the president, vice president, ministers, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Head of Civil Service of the Federation, special advisers, presidential aides, and permanent secretaries signed the basis for SERVICOM, a compact with Nigerians ‘dedicating themselves to providing the basic services to which each citizen is entitled in a timely, fair, honest, effective and transparent manner.’ SERVICOM is a service agreement between the federal government and the Nigerian people that gives Nigerians the right to demand good service. Details of this right are contained in SERVICOM charters, and included information on what the public should expect and what to do if the service fails or falls short of their expectations. SERVICOM has initiated the establishment of Ministerial SERVICOM Units (MSUs) and Parastatal SERVICOM units in 84 ministries, parastatals, and agencies; and from inception to date, it has supported the development of qualitative service charters in over 80% of MDAs. The SERVICOM Institute, established to train public servants in service delivery, has also to date trained over 10000 civil servants in various aspects of service delivery.

Challenges and Next Steps

Government should continually affirm support to the initiative through an annual presidential retreat and adequate funding. Senior level civil servants should be posted to SERVICOM offices to increase its technical capacity. A SERVICOM Bill should be passed stipulating sanctions for service failure. To make MDAs more customer-focused, MDA SERVICOM compliance outcomes should be reflected in Evaluation Performance Reports.

WANGONeT