TD President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Mr Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan as the new Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), effective August 27, 2026.
Enitan will succeed Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, who is due to retire from the Federal Civil Service after attaining the statutory retirement age of 60.
The appointment was announced in a statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.
Enitan Becomes Nigeria’s Top Civil Servant
According to the Presidency, Enitan is currently the most senior Permanent Secretary in the Federal Civil Service.
He has spent seven years and seven months as a Permanent Secretary, serving in several strategic government institutions.
His previous postings include the Ministry of Police Affairs, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and the Office of the Vice President.
He currently serves as Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Education.
The Presidency said his extensive experience across government gives him a strong understanding of the operations and institutional processes of the Federal Civil Service.
Tinubu Charges Enitan to Deepen Reforms
President Tinubu tasked the incoming Head of Service with consolidating the reforms and innovations already introduced into the Federal Civil Service.
He also directed Enitan to deepen professionalism, efficiency and accountability across the service.
The President said the civil service must become more responsive to the needs and aspirations of Nigerians and play a stronger role in delivering the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Tinubu further charged Enitan to build a civil service that is professional, merit-driven, accountable, innovative and efficient.
Walson-Jack Set to Retire
The appointment marks the impending departure of Walson-Jack, who became Head of the Civil Service of the Federation in 2024.
President Tinubu expressed his appreciation to the outgoing Head of Service for her service to the nation.
He specifically commended the reforms, innovations and institutional impact recorded in the Federal Civil Service during her tenure.
The President wished Walson-Jack a fulfilling and successful life after public service and expressed the nation’s gratitude for her years of dedicated service.
Who Is Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan?
Enitan was born on December 12, 1966, and is from Osun State.
He received his secondary education at Ajibode Grammar School, Ibadan, and the College of Arts and Science, Ile-Ife.
He subsequently attended the University of Lagos, where he graduated in 1988 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance and Banking.
In 2015, he obtained a Master of Science degree in Public Policy Analysis from Nasarawa State University, Lafia.
His career in the Federal Civil Service has taken him through several important government institutions, culminating in his appointment as a Permanent Secretary and his current position in the Federal Ministry of Education.
Transition Comes as Civil Service Faces Major Expectations
Enitan takes over at a time when the Federal Civil Service is under increasing pressure to improve efficiency, digitise government processes, strengthen accountability and deliver public services more effectively.
His broad experience across ministries and the Office of the Vice President is expected to be central to the administration’s efforts to improve coordination and institutional performance.
As Head of Service, he will oversee the implementation of civil service reforms and provide leadership to the federal bureaucracy.
His tenure will also place him at the centre of efforts to build a more efficient and responsive public service capable of translating government policies into measurable outcomes.
Enitan officially assumes office on August 27, 2026, succeeding Walson-Jack as the country’s highest-ranking career civil servant.
