President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has sworn in Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan as Nigeria’s new Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, formally beginning a new chapter for the country’s federal bureaucracy. Tinubu administered the oath of office to Enitan at the State House in Abuja, about a week after announcing his appointment as successor to Didi Esther Walson-Jack.
Enitan assumes responsibility for coordinating Nigeria’s federal civil service, one of the country’s most important administrative institutions. The office oversees the implementation of civil service policies and helps ensure continuity in government operations as elected administrations change.
The transition comes as Tinubu’s administration continues its broader public-sector reform agenda, which has included efforts to improve efficiency, accountability and digitalization across government institutions.
Nigeria’s civil service has its roots in the colonial administrative system established under British rule. Following independence in 1960, successive governments retained and restructured the bureaucracy as a permanent administrative machinery separate from the political leadership.
The Head of the Civil Service position has evolved over the decades as Nigeria sought to strengthen professionalism and institutional continuity within the federal government. The office became particularly significant during periods of political transition, when the civil service was expected to maintain essential government functions despite changes in political leadership.
Enitan’s appointment therefore places him at the center of efforts to modernize Nigeria’s public administration while preserving institutional continuity. His tenure is expected to be closely watched as the government pursues reforms aimed at making the federal civil service more responsive, efficient and capable of delivering public services to Africa’s most populous country.
