By Stephen Simon
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday formally swore in Mr. Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan as the new Head of Civil Service of the Federation (HoCSF) during a brief ceremony at the State House, Abuja.
Enitan, the most senior Permanent Secretary in the federal bureaucracy, succeeds Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, who retired from active public service upon attaining the mandatory age limit of 60. His official appointment was announced on August 19, taking effect on August 27, 2026.
The swearing-in ceremony was attended by top government officials and family members, including outgoing HoCSF Mrs. Walson-Jack and her husband, Hon. Nimi Walson-Jack; the wife of the new HoCSF, Mrs. Olawunmi Ololade Enitan; and the Permanent Secretary of the State House, Mr. Peter Fashedemi.
Administering the oath of office, President Tinubu congratulated Enitan and charged him to lead a public service anchored on high professional standards.
“The Civil Service under the new leadership must remain professional, merit-driven, accountable, innovative, and responsive to the needs and aspirations of Nigerians,” the President stated, urging Enitan to consolidate ongoing reforms under the administration’s agenda.
Profile of the New Bureaucratic Chief
Born on December 12, 1966, Enitan is a native of Osun State. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Banking and Finance from the University of Lagos in 1988, later completing a Master’s Degree in Public Policy Analysis at Nasarawa State University.
His nearly three-decade career in the Federal Civil Service began in 1998 as a Senior Operations Officer under the now-defunct Family Economic Advancement Programme (FEAP). Highlights of his public service trajectory include:
Office of the Vice President: Served as Chief Administrative Officer and rose to the rank of Director between 2010 and 2018.
Permanent Secretary Postings: Appointed Permanent Secretary in December 2018, serving at the Federal Civil Service Commission.
Ministerial Portfolios: Held senior administrative posts across key ministries, including Environment, Police Affairs, Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, and most recently, the Ministry of Education.
Enitan’s tenure officially begins as the administration pushes to modernize federal administrative machinery, improve public service delivery, and enhance civil service performance nationwide.
