The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved several key policy initiatives aimed at enhancing the welfare of public servants, diversifying the economy, and tackling unemployment.
Among the major decisions was the renewal of the Group Life Assurance Scheme for federal government employees, which underscores the Tinubu administration’s dedication to the well-being of public servants.
During a briefing with journalists at the State House, Abuja, following the FEC meeting chaired by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Walson-Jack, announced that the scheme, covering the 2025/2026 policy year, is designed to provide financial support to the families of deceased federal employees, including high-ranking officials.
“The Federal Government has taken out a life policy for each public servant. In the unfortunate event of death, the next of kin will receive benefits to alleviate the loss,” Walson-Jack explained. “This demonstrates the priority that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration places on the welfare of federal workers.”
The scheme extends coverage not only to civil servants but also to the President, Vice President, Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, and personnel in Treasury-funded ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs). It also includes key paramilitary and uniformed agencies such as the Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigeria Correctional Service, Federal Fire Service, Federal Road Safety Corps, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and the Office of the National Security Adviser.
Walson-Jack also mentioned that 17 insurance underwriters have been selected to manage the policy, which is renewable annually. The policy will take effect once premiums are paid, in line with the federal government’s “no premium, no cover” policy.
“This scheme has been in place for several years, but many public servants remain unaware of its details,” she added. Her office will launch a nationwide awareness campaign to inform workers about the benefits.
Additionally, the Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, briefed the press about a new initiative approved by the Council to monetize Nigeria’s rich cultural and tourism assets.
Developed in partnership with the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI), the initiative aims to generate a new revenue stream while promoting national heritage. Musawa highlighted that for the first time, a dedicated ministry is tasked with unlocking the potential of the cultural, creative, and tourism sectors.
“We are aiming to contribute $100 billion to Nigeria’s economy by 2030 through the monetization of both tangible and intangible cultural assets,” Musawa stated.
Tangible assets include national museum collections, historical monuments, landmark buildings, and federally owned artworks, while intangible assets range from indigenous languages and oral traditions to cultural textiles like adire, local foods such as Ijebu garri, and sacred landscapes and festivals.
Musawa emphasized that the strategy focuses on fostering self-sustaining economic growth without placing additional strain on the national budget. “This is about utilizing our existing resources to create wealth, build identity, and foster pride,” she said.
The initiative will unfold in four stages: asset assessment, valuation, strategy development for monetization, and implementation. Musawa noted that the asset verification phase has already been completed, and the next steps will be carried out in collaboration with MOFI.
