Press Release
PRESS RELEASE: MINISTRY OF INTERIOR CELEBRATES 2026 CUSTOMER SERVICE WEEK, CHARGES STAFF TO GO THE EXTRA MILE
MINISTRY OF INTERIOR CELEBRATES 2026 CUSTOMER SERVICE WEEK, CHARGES STAFF TO GO THE EXTRA MILE
MINISTRY OF INTERIOR
PRESS RELEASE
6th October, 2026
Channel
MINISTRY OF INTERIOR CELEBRATES 2026 CUSTOMER SERVICE WEEK, CHARGES STAFF TO GO THE EXTRA MILE
The Ministry of Interior has joined organisations around the world to commemorate the 2026 Customer Service Week, with a call on its workforce to embrace professionalism, empathy, innovation and accountability in delivering quality services to citizens.
The 2026 Customer Service Week, with the theme “Going Extra Mile,” provides an opportunity for the Ministry to renew its commitment to citizen-centred service delivery and encourage staff to consistently exceed expectations in the discharge of their responsibilities.
Speaking at the celebration organised by the Ministry, the representative of the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, and Director of Human Resources Management, Mrs Cathrine Zozi emphasised that excellent customer service goes beyond responding to requests. She noted that it requires professionalism, courtesy, empathy, integrity and a genuine sense of responsibility.
She stressed that every interaction with a citizen presents an opportunity to build public trust and demonstrate the values of a responsive and ambitious civil service.
According to her, staff must continue to improve internal processes, listen to feedback, respond promptly to complaints and embrace innovative approaches that enhance service delivery. She further encouraged staff to make the principles of SERVICOM a daily practice rather than limiting them to the annual Customer Service Week celebration.
Also speaking, the Deputy Director, Joint Services, Mr. Bello Adogarh, noted that the theme, “Going Extra Mile,” speaks directly to the responsibilities of public servants, stressing that serving citizens effectively requires doing more than the routine discharge of official duties.
He explained that every interaction with citizens is an opportunity to strengthen confidence in government, adding that excellent customer service should be regarded as an integral part of institutional culture rather than an additional responsibility.
The celebration also highlighted the fact that customer service extends beyond frontline officers who interact directly with members of the public. Participants observed that every staff member is a frontline service provider in one form or another, because the Ministry’s operations depend on interconnected services provided across departments and units.
The facilitator explained that customers within the public service can be broadly regarded as internal and external customers. Internal customers include staff who receive services from other departments or units, while external customers include citizens and other members of the public who seek services, information or assistance from the Ministry and its agencies.
The Ministry therefore called on all members of staff to recognise their individual contributions to the overall service experience and to continually ask themselves: “What more can I do to improve the service?”
As part of the celebration, the Head of the Reform Coordination and Service Improvement Department Mrs. Muazu Risikat Funmilayo showcased products and initiatives emerging from the Ministry’s Innovation Hub. Staff were encouraged to visit the Hub, explore its activities and identify opportunities for innovation, skills development and practical solutions that can contribute to improved service delivery.
The celebration also provided an opportunity for participants to reflect on the importance of continuous assessment and improvement in public service. Staff were encouraged to see Customer Service Week not merely as a celebration, but as a period for evaluating existing practices, identifying service gaps and making deliberate improvements.
The Ministry reaffirmed that effective service delivery is a collective responsibility requiring collaboration across all departments, units and agencies.
The Ministry of Interior therefore enjoined its workforce to embrace the spirit of “Going Extra Mile” by demonstrating professionalism, responsiveness, courtesy, accountability and innovation in every interaction.
The Ministry remains committed to building a public service culture in which citizens are treated with dignity, staff work collaboratively and every service encounter contributes to greater public confidence in government.
E-SignedMrs. Mary Ali, aniprHead, Press & Public RelationsMinistry of Interior