The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mr Olumuyiwa Enitan Abel, has reaffirmed the commitment of the Federal Civil Service to inclusive leadership and women’s career development.

Abel said this on Monday in his goodwill message at a high-level strategy meeting on accelerating gender equality and women’s empowerment in Nigeria.

The meeting was organised by UN Women at the UN House in Abuja.

He said the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) and UN Women are working together under a five-year Memorandum of Understanding signed at the 2026 International Civil Service Conference to promote gender-responsive reforms.

According to him, the partnership aims to advance women’s growth in the public sector.

Abel also highlighted the Inclusive Network for Supporting Progressive Leadership, Innovation, Reform and Equity for Women (INSPIRE), launched by the First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, as a key platform for mentoring and professional growth for women.

He disclosed that women make up 43.84 per cent of the Federal Civil Service and 42.31 per cent of senior officers on Grade Levels 15 to 17, while 40.11 per cent are on Grade Level 17.

He said while women have contributed significantly to public administration, deliberate steps are needed to improve their progression to top leadership positions.

Abel listed existing provisions that support women to include 112 working days of paid maternity leave, merit-based promotion and safeguards against workplace harassment.

He said these measures are important for building an inclusive service that promotes equal opportunities and productivity.

He reaffirmed the readiness of the OHCSF to work with UN Women and other partners to strengthen implementation and ensure measurable progress for women in the public service.

In her remarks, UN Women Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ms Beatrice Eyong, commended the Federal Civil Service for its commitment to gender equality.

She described the five-year MoU with the OHCSF as a strong foundation for gender-responsive governance and pledged UN Women’s continued technical support.

Other stakeholders at the meeting stressed the need for sustained collaboration and investment to accelerate gender equality and women’s empowerment in Nigeria.