ABUJA, Nigeria – The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, OON, mni, has formally handed over the leadership of the Federal Civil Service to Mr. Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan, following her statutory retirement upon attaining the mandatory retirement age of 60, the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation announced on Saturday, August 29, 2026.
The handover ceremony, held at the Federal Secretariat complex in Abuja, marks the formal commencement of Enitan’s tenure as the nation’s chief administrative officer following his swearing-in by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the State House.
Okay News reports that Enitan, who previously served as the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Education and the Federal Civil Service Commission, was named Head of Service on August 19, 2026, with his appointment taking statutory effect on August 27, 2026.
In an official statement issued by the Director of Press and Public Relations in the OHCSF, Mrs. Eno Olotu, the outgoing Head of Service expressed profound gratitude to President Tinubu for the opportunity to steer the federal bureaucracy and spearhead transformative reforms across the public sector.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mrs. Walson-Jack commended the management, permanent secretaries, directors, and the entire federal workforce for their steadfast partnership, patience, and dedication during her two-year stewardship.
Reflecting on her tenure, she described her time in office as a journey defined by notable milestones and institutional challenges, stressing that the collective resilience of civil servants enabled the service to accelerate digitalization, improve performance management systems, and elevate service delivery benchmarks.
“The transformation of the Civil Service was never about individuals, but about Nigeria and the collective responsibility to provide citizens with quality public services delivered by competent, professional, and committed public servants,” Walson-Jack said, urging workers to extend even greater cooperation to her successor.
In his inaugural address, the new Head of Service, Mr. Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan, conveyed deep appreciation to President Tinubu for the confidence reposed in him, acknowledging the magnitude of leading Africa’s largest public administration structure.
Enitan lauded his predecessor for laying an enduring foundation for institutional modernization and pledged to approach his mandate with humility, diligence, and an unwavering commitment to national development priorities.
He affirmed that his administration will consolidate existing reforms while vigorously entrenching the EPIC culture—anchored on Efficiency, Productivity, Incorruptibility, and Citizen-Centredness—across all ministries, departments, and agencies of the Federal Government.
Calling for unified dedication across all cadres of the civil service, Enitan stressed that the success of government policies relies on collective ownership and an ethical, responsive workforce driven to deliver tangible socio-economic dividends to Nigerians.
