Permanent Secretary, Service Policies and Strategies Office (SPSO)

DR. DEBORAH ODOH

Permanent Secretary, Service Policies and Strategies Office (SPSO)

Dr. Deborah Bako Odoh is the Permanent Secretary of the Service Policies and Strategies Office (SPSO) at the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF). In this capacity, she oversees critical Departments of Organization Design and Development (ODD), Civil Service Transformation (CST), and Leadership Management and Succession Planning (LM&SP). Dr. Odoh is instrumental in driving the formulation and implementation of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, ensuring its alignment with national priorities and overseeing its consistent monitoring and evaluation.

Her career in the Federal Civil Service spans over two decades, beginning in 2001 as a Medical Officer with the Federal Ministry of Health. During this period, Dr. Odoh played a leading role in the development and supervision of national health policies, particularly in the areas of HIV, Viral Hepatitis, and Non-Communicable Diseases Control. Her strategic leadership in public health has left a lasting impact on the country’s health programs.

Dr. Odoh holds a medical degree, along with advanced qualifications, including a Master of Public Health (MPH) from Harvard University and a Master’s in Field Epidemiology from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, through the Nigeria Field Epidemiology Training Programme. Additionally, she is a graduate of renowned leadership programs, including the Aig-Imoukhuede Public Leaders Programme at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford, the International Program in Public Health Leadership (IPPHL) at the University of Washington, and the Haggai Leadership Institute in Maui.

Known for her integrity, professionalism, and unwavering dedication, Dr. Odoh is passionate about advancing leadership and management capabilities within the Civil Service. Her commitment to capacity-building and governance reforms has distinguished her as a leader focused on long-term institutional transformation.