Service Compact with All Nigerians (Servicom) and Service Delivery in the Nigerian Public Service: An Appraisal

Abstract

Over the years, poor service delivery has been identified as one major deficit noted with the Nigerian public service. This has elicited much of intellectual debates and scholarly interventions which have been devoted to underscore the negative perception of poor service delivery in the Nigerian public service. Efforts to change the service delivery orientation of the Nigerian public sector through introducing a new service delivery philosophy have also received some attentions. The SERVICOM Charter, as introduced in March, 2004 becomes the binding document that mandates all government institutions on effective and efficient delivery of services to the Nigerian public. This paper adopted a literature- based approach to underpin the context while, interrogating the need for improved service delivery in the Nigerian public service. Findings from this study argued that, the SERVICOM Charter is challenged by its operational environment as a working document for the reorientation of the Nigerian public service and the citizenry towards effective and efficient service delivery. The paper concluded that, for SERVICOM Charter to achieve the objectives of the changing narratives of poor service delivery in the Nigerian public service, measures are also required for the appropriate compliance of its laudable objectives in the Nigerian public service at large.