The Ministry of Petroleum Resources has initiated discussions with the Public Service Institute of Nigeria (PSIN) to strengthen collaboration on capacity building and human resource development.
This development was brought to the fore during a courtesy visit by a delegation from the Public Service Institute of Nigeria (PSIN) to the Ministry of Petroleum Resources on Wednesday, 18th March, 2026, in Abuja.
While receiving the Chief Executive Officer/Administrator of PSIN, Barr. Imeh Okon and her management team, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Patience N. Oyekunle noted that the proposed collaboration aligns with ongoing efforts to reposition the public service through continuous training and professional development.
She emphasized that PSIN remains a strategic institution in driving capacity-building initiatives, particularly in line with the vision of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation to position the Institute as a global centre of excellence.
“We cannot continue to seek externally what we already have within. Supporting PSIN is critical to building a more efficient and self-reliant public service,” she said.
The Permanent Secretary further highlighted the importance of entrepreneurship programmes for civil servants, noting that such initiatives would help address challenges associated with retirement and prepare officers for life beyond active service.
She assured the visiting team that the Ministry would review areas of collaboration, particularly through its Human Resource Management Department, and align PSIN’s offerings with its training needs.
Earlier, the CEO/Administrator of PSIN, Barr. Imeh Okon, said the visit was aimed at introducing the new management of the PSIN to the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, strengthen institutional collaboration and to explore ways the Institute can best support the Ministry in achieving its mandate.
She commended the Ministry for it’s resilience and consistency in trying to achieve its mandate in the highly complex and competitive oil and gas sector.
Barr. Imeh Okon explained that the PSIN is mandated to build the competencies, professionalism, and leadership capacities of public servants, noting that while many institutions have strong policy frameworks, challenges often lie in execution and achieving measurable outcomes.
She identified capacity gaps, coordination challenges, and system inefficiencies as key issues affecting service delivery, especially in sectors with multiple players.
To address these, she said PSIN deploys a range of programmes, including the Structured Mandatory Assessment-Based Training Programme (SMAT-P), designed to provide standardize training to all cadres in the different ministries with a view to improving efficiency in the public service.
Other initiatives, she said, include entrepreneurship and commercial orientation programmes for retiring officers, benchmarking studies, induction and orientation for new employees, as well as consultancy and research services.
Barr. Imeh Okon added that the Institute also supports MDAs in conducting credible promotion and recruitment exercises, thereby reducing complaints and ensuring transparency.
In his welcome remarks, the Director, Human Resources Management in the Ministry, Mr. Christopher Essien, described PSIN as a key institution in manpower development under the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
He noted that engaging stakeholders such as the Ministry is crucial to repositioning the Civil Service for improved performance and national development.
Mr. Essien expressed optimism that the engagement would provide a clear framework for collaboration, particularly in modernizing Human Resource Management practices and enhancing service delivery within the petroleum sector.
The courtesy visit was witnessed by Directors and senior management staff of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the Public Service Institute of Nigeria.
