President Bola Tinubu has appointed Abel Enitan as the new head of the Civil Service of the Federation, beginning August 27, 2026.
Enitan will succeed Didi Esther Walson-Jack, who will resign from the Federal Civil Service after reaching the statutory retirement age of 60.
Enitan, an Osun State native, is the Federal Ministry of Education’s Permanent Secretary and the highest-ranking Permanent Secretary in the Federal Civil Service.
He has been a permanent secretary for seven years and seven months, having previously worked in the ministries of police affairs, humanitarian affairs, and the Office of the vice president.
He has worked as a Permanent Secretary for seven years and seven months, with postings to the Ministry of Police Affairs, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and the Office of the Vice President.
In a statement on Wednesday, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said Enitan brings extensive institutional experience and a deep understanding of the Federal Civil Service to the position.
“Mr. Enitan, from Osun State, is the most senior Permanent Secretary in the Federal Civil Service.
“He brings considerable institutional experience and a deep understanding of how the Federal Civil Service works to his new responsibility,” the statement read.
Tinubu applauded Walson-Jack for her service to the country and the reforms and innovations recorded in the Civil Service during her tenure.
The president wished her “a fulfilling and successful life after service” and conveyed the nation’s gratitude for her years of dedicated and impactful public service.
Tinubu challenged the next Civil Service Head with consolidating existing reforms and innovations, increasing professionalism and efficiency throughout the service, and creating a more effective and responsive Civil Service capable of delivering on his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The president also asked Enitan to lead a Civil Service that is “professional, merit-driven, accountable, innovative, and responsive to Nigerians’ needs and aspirations.”
Enitan’s birth date is December 12, 1966. He finished his secondary school at Ajibode Grammar School in Ibadan and the College of Arts and Science in Ile-Ife.
He attended the University of Lagos and earned a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Banking in 1988.
He graduated from Nasarawa State University, Lafia, with a Master of Science in Public Policy Analysis in 2015.
Enitan will officially take office on August 27, 2026, following Walson-Jack’s retirement.
