Foundation recognises three civil servants for their great work

The Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation has recognised three federal civil servants for their hard work in public service. This was part of the events for the 2026 Civil Service Week in Abuja.

The awardees are Abumoye Emmanuel, a Senior Education Officer at the Federal Ministry of Education; Anthony Ogwo, an Assistant Chief Education Officer in the same ministry; and Ochoche Peter, an Assistant Director at the Ministry of Regional Development.

Mr Abumoye received the Presidential Civil Service Merit Award. Mr Ogwo and Mr Ochoche received the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation’s EPIC Award, which stands for Efficient, Productive, Incorruptible and Citizen-Centred.

Celebrating Public Service

These awards come from the Emily Aig-Imoukhuede Memorial Endowment Fund. This fund was set up in 2022 to honour the late Pastor Emily Aig-Imoukhuede.

The foundation aims to celebrate civil servants whose work shows professionalism, integrity, and a strong commitment to improving public service.

The Presidential Civil Service Merit Award includes a N500,000 prize. It is for civil servants with at least five years of service who have made significant contributions to their institutions and the wider public sector.

The EPIC Award, worth N250,000, is for officers who show efficiency, productivity, integrity, and a focus on citizens in their work.

Mr Abumoye was honoured for his work in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics education. He has worked hard to encourage more girls to get involved in technology.

As a Senior Education Officer and robotics coach at Queen’s College, Lagos, he led the school's robotics team to many international competitions. The team represented Nigeria at the FIRST LEGO League Competition in Australia in 2023 and became African champions at the Rwanda Submerged Robotics Competition in 2025.

They also qualified for global competitions in Houston and Canada in 2026. Mr Abumoye has also worked on projects like the AuroDam Hydro Electric Power Project and a robot prototype called Aurocleaner.

His efforts include supporting remote learning, improving school facilities, and mentoring girls interested in science and technology.

Commitment to Digital Transformation

Mr Ogwo, who is an alumnus of the Aig-Imoukhuede Public Leaders Programme Cohort 5, was recognised for his work on administrative reforms and digital transformation at the Federal Ministry of Education.

He has helped automate processes in the ministry, develop policy documents, and set up the ministry’s call centre. During his time in the Public Leaders Programme, he created a proposal for a digital Requisition and General Services Management Portal.

This proposed platform would combine General Services, Procurement, and SERVICOM functions, allowing requests to be tracked in real time and cutting down delays in administration.

Mr Ochoche has more than 18 years of experience in the federal civil service. As an Assistant Director at the Ministry of Regional Development, he has worked on performance management and public sector reform.

He contributed to the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan (FCSSIP) 2020 and was also involved in the rollout of FCSSIP 2025, which aims to enhance performance and accountability in the civil service.

His work includes supporting reform monitoring, building capacity, and developing performance systems across ministries, departments, and agencies.

Supporting Public Institutions

At the awards ceremony, Chioma Njoku, the Director of Programmes at the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation, said recognising high-performing civil servants can help strengthen public institutions.

Ms Njoku mentioned that the foundation will keep supporting initiatives that promote professionalism and encourage improvements in public service. She said, "Public servants play a vital role in shaping the quality of governance and improving outcomes for citizens."

Since it began, the Emily Aig-Imoukhuede Memorial Endowment Fund has given over N60 million to civil servants in more than 50 ministries, departments, and agencies, according to the foundation.

The Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation was started by Aigboje and Ofovwe Aig-Imoukhuede. It focuses on public sector leadership development, reform, and improving public service.

Civil Service Week happens every year to celebrate the contributions of public servants to national development. It also promotes professionalism and better service delivery. The 2026 edition took place from 22 to 28 June and focused on mentorship, digital transformation, and excellence in public service, according to the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF).