President Bola Tinubu has sworn in Abel Enitan as the new Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF) following the retirement of his predecessor, Didi Walson-Jack.
Politics Nigeria reports that the brief swearing-in ceremony was held on Thursday at the State House, Abuja, with Enitan assuming responsibility as the country’s top civil servant.
The transition was formally completed later in the day as Walson-Jack and Enitan signed the necessary documents, after which the outgoing Head of Service presented her handover note to her successor.
Walson-Jack said the handover note covered her tenure from August 14, 2024, to August 27, 2026, before exchanging a handshake with Enitan to mark the transfer of responsibilities.
Walson-Jack retired from the Federal Civil Service after attaining the statutory retirement age of 60.
Enitan, an indigene of Osun State, is the most senior Permanent Secretary in the Federal Civil Service. He had served as a Permanent Secretary for seven years and seven months before his appointment as Head of Service.
He previously served at the Ministry of Police Affairs, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and the Office of the Vice President, before becoming Permanent Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Education.
Tinubu appointed Enitan on August 19, 2026, with the appointment taking effect from August 27.
While announcing the appointment, the President described Enitan as an experienced public servant with considerable institutional knowledge and a deep understanding of the workings of the Federal Civil Service.
Tinubu charged the new Head of Service to build on the reforms initiated under his predecessor while strengthening professionalism, efficiency and accountability across the public service.
The President also tasked Enitan with ensuring that the Civil Service becomes more merit-driven, innovative and responsive to the needs and aspirations of Nigerians.
Speaking after his swearing-in, Enitan said he would not seek to overhaul the system unnecessarily but would consolidate existing reforms and improve their implementation.
“I’m not going to reinvent the wheel. No. I’ll rather lubricate the wheel so that I can deliver efficiently and more productively and fulfil the aspirations and expectations of Nigerians,” he said.
He identified his immediate priorities as making the Federal Civil Service “more innovative, more productive, and more professional,” while improving its responsiveness to citizens.
According to him, the Civil Service has a critical role in translating government policies, programmes and projects into tangible results.
Enitan pledged to ensure effective implementation of government policies and continue from where Walson-Jack stopped, with the ultimate objective of restoring public confidence in the Civil Service.
“I’ll continue from where my predecessor stopped so that we take the service to the next level and win back the trust and the hearts of Nigerians,” he said.
Reflecting on her tenure, Walson-Jack described her two years in office as “awesome,” expressing appreciation to Tinubu for appointing her and providing the support she needed to carry out her responsibilities.
She identified the broad acceptance of Civil Service reforms among civil servants, the private sector, sub-national governments and international partners as one of her major achievements.
Walson-Jack also expressed confidence in Enitan’s ability to lead the service, noting that he had worked closely with her in driving the transformation of the Federal Civil Service.
She pledged her continued prayers and support for her successor, urging him to finish his tenure successfully.
