The Federal Ministry of Finance has honoured 79 retired staff members for their decades of dedicated service and contributions to Nigeria’s fiscal and economic development.
The retirees were celebrated at a reception held in Abuja for the 2025 and 2026 classes of retirees, alongside the 2025 Ministerial Rewards and Recognition ceremony, where six retirees received special awards for outstanding contributions.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the ceremony was held under the theme, “Celebrating Service, Recognising Excellence, Inspiring the Future.”
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, commended the retirees for their years of commitment to the country, describing the occasion as a transition from active public service into a new chapter of their lives.
Oyedele said Nigeria’s public institutions had been built through decades of dedication by career officers who provided expertise, professionalism and institutional knowledge.
He noted that effective public financial management could not be achieved within a single budget cycle but required sustained contributions from career officers over many years.
According to the minister, the retirees played important roles in reconciling government accounts, safeguarding treasury operations and maintaining the financial discipline necessary for national development.
He said the retirees served through various economic cycles and periods of significant fiscal pressure, adding that their institutional memory remained an important foundation for the continued development of the ministry.
Oyedele said several reforms being implemented by the present administration were built on institutional discipline established by career civil servants over the years.
He cited the removal of fuel subsidy, unification of statutory exchange rates and increased mobilisation of non oil revenue among the reforms being pursued to strengthen the nation’s economy.
The minister stressed that national prosperity was the result of sustained efforts by public servants who often made significant sacrifices without seeking public recognition.
He described public service as a vocation requiring integrity, patience and commitment, particularly during periods of difficult economic reforms.
Oyedele urged serving officers to uphold the standards established by the retirees and ensure that their institutional legacy was sustained.
He also encouraged the ministry to continue engaging retirees as mentors and advisers, noting that their experience remained a valuable institutional resource.
The Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Raymond Omachi, described the ceremony as an occasion to celebrate service, express gratitude and demonstrate institutional pride.
Omachi commended the retirees for dedicating decades of their lives to strengthening the ministry, describing their contributions as a legacy of institutional wisdom and selfless commitment.
He assured the retirees that their sacrifices, including long working hours and the challenges associated with public service, would not be forgotten.
The permanent secretary also congratulated the six staff members who received special recognition awards, describing their dedication, integrity and professionalism as examples of the best traditions of public service.
One of the retired directors, Christiana Ndidi, who spent 29 years in the civil service, described the recognition as a testament to the value of selfless service to the nation.
Ndidi urged serving civil servants to remain focused and hardworking, stressing that genuine commitment to public service would eventually receive recognition.
Similarly, retired Director of Economic Research and Policy Management, Lola Uket, said she spent 35 years serving the country.
Uket identified organisation, focus, patriotism and commitment to national development as some of the key lessons from her career.
She urged young civil servants to place national interest above personal gain while continuously improving their knowledge and professional skills.
“Patriotism is the key; let them be focused, patriotic and let them put in their best,” Uket said.
She encouraged serving officers to continue contributing to national development, stressing that public service should be driven by commitment to the country rather than financial considerations alone.
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