The President of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan as Head of Civil Service of the Federation, effective August 27, 2026, the presidency said on Tuesday.
Enitan replaces Didi Esther Walson-Jack, who will retire upon reaching the statutory retirement age of 60, according to a statement from Special Adviser Bayo Onanuga.
A career civil servant from Osun State, Enitan is currently the most senior Permanent Secretary in the federal bureaucracy. He has served for seven years and seven months in that role, with postings at the Ministry of Police Affairs, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, and the Office of the Vice President. He is currently Permanent Secretary at Federal Ministry of Education.
Tinubu lauded Walson-Jack for her “distinguished service” and for reforms and innovations introduced during her tenure.
In a charge to the incoming head, the President urged Enitan to “consolidate on the reforms and innovations already underway” and build a civil service that is professional, merit-driven, accountable and responsive to Nigerians.
The appointment comes as Tinubu pushes his “Renewed Hope Agenda” to improve public service delivery.
Enitan, 59, was born on Dec. 12, 1966. He holds a B.Sc. in Finance and Banking from the University of Lagos, obtained in 1988, and an M.Sc. in Public Policy Analysis from Nasarawa State University, Lafia, received in 2015.
He attended Ajibode Grammar School, Ibadan, and the College of Arts and Science, Ile-Ife, for his secondary education.
The Head of Civil Service is the top bureaucrat in Nigeria’s federal administration and oversees implementation of government policy across ministries.