The Federal Government has officially introduced the Nigerian Public Service Writing Style Manual, marking a significant step towards enhancing professionalism and coherence in public sector communications. This comprehensive manual aims to standardize official documentation across all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), ensuring clarity and consistency in government communications.
This comprehensive 148-page document, unveiled in Abuja on Friday, May 30, 2025, is poised to standardize official writing across all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), marking a pivotal moment in the ongoing reform of the Federal Civil Service.
The inception of the Writing Style Manual traces back to November 2024, when the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, inaugurated a committee tasked with developing a comprehensive guide to unify official communications across MDAs. Recognizing the critical role of clear and consistent communication in effective governance, the committee was charged with creating a manual that would serve as a unifying framework for all official communications, standardizing fonts, templates, stationery, and writing styles to ensure a cohesive and professional approach within the Federal Civil Service.
The resulting manual is meticulously structured into six chapters and features 55 practical templates, providing definitive guidelines on official writing standards across MDAs. It addresses long-standing challenges of inconsistency in government documents while establishing clear protocols for formatting, referencing, digital communication, and appropriate use of national symbols such as the Coat of Arms and National Flag.
During the presentation ceremony, Mrs. Walson-Jack emphasized the manual’s transformative potential, describing it as “a cornerstone for building a more responsive and citizen-centric civil service.” She noted that adopting British English standards, standardized templates for official correspondence, and precise guidelines on national symbols would eliminate ambiguities in government communications.
The Head of Service outlined a structured implementation plan, beginning with a service-wide validation process to incorporate input from stakeholders across the public service. The manual will be presented for Presidential endorsement to formalize its status as a key policy document. Subsequently, it will be integrated into training programs for civil servants and subjected to periodic reviews every five years to ensure its continued relevance.
The development of the manual was spearheaded by a committee chaired by Mr. Olusade Adesola, OON, a retired Federal Permanent Secretary. Dr. Deborah Odoh, Permanent Secretary of the Service Policies and Strategies Office, highlighted the initiative’s alignment with the Federal Government’s vision of a world-class civil service and acknowledged the instrumental role of the service-wide GPT platform in supporting the committee’s work.
With its nationwide implementation across all Federal MDAs, the Nigerian Public Service Writing Style Manual is set to revolutionize official documentation, ensuring clarity, consistency, and professionalism in government communications. This achievement underscores the Federal Government’s commitment to institutionalizing best practices and enhancing public trust in governance processes.
