President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Mr. Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan as the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, with effect from August 27, 2026.

Mr. Enitan succeeds Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, who is due to retire from the Federal Civil Service upon attaining the statutory retirement age of 60.

A native of Osun State, Mr. Enitan is the most senior Permanent Secretary in the Federal Civil Service. He has served as Permanent Secretary for seven years and seven months, with postings at the Ministry of Police Affairs, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, and the Office of the Vice President. He is currently the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Education.

He brings considerable institutional experience and a deep understanding of the workings of the Federal Civil Service to his new role.

President Tinubu expressed profound appreciation to Mrs. Walson-Jack for her distinguished service to the nation and for the reforms, impact, and innovations recorded in the Civil Service during her tenure. The President wished her a fulfilling and successful life in retirement and conveyed the nation’s gratitude for her years of dedicated and impactful public service.

The President charged the incoming Head of the Civil Service of the Federation to consolidate the reforms and innovations already underway, deepen professionalism and efficiency across the service, and build a more effective and responsive Civil Service capable of delivering on the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

President Tinubu further urged Mr. Enitan to lead a Civil Service that is professional, merit-driven, accountable, innovative, and responsive to the needs and aspirations of Nigerians.

Born on December 12, 1966, Mr. Enitan had his secondary education at Ajibode Grammar School, Ibadan, and the College of Arts and Science, Ile-Ife. He graduated from the University of Lagos in 1988 with a B.Sc. in Finance and Banking. In 2015, he obtained an M.Sc. in Public Policy Analysis from Nasarawa State University, Lafia.

Nigeria’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a move to decriminalise attempted suicide, marking a major shift from treating people in psychological distress as offenders to recognising them as individuals in need of care.

Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Mohammed Pate, disclosed that the amendment to the Mental Health Act will now be forwarded to the National Assembly for consideration.

Attempted suicide remains a criminal offence under Nigeria’s Criminal and Penal Codes.

Pate made the announcement after Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council meeting.

The Council also approved an executive bill to establish a National Centre for Oral Health.

In further health sector decisions, FEC endorsed major upgrades at the National Hospital, Abuja, including modular clinics, a high-end wing and a Neuroscience Institute. It also approved a ₦300 billion National Cancer Research and Treatment Centre, expected to be completed within 36 months.

President Bola Tinubu has directed that all liquid funds recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) be channelled into the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) to support the education of Nigerian students.

The directive was announced on Wednesday by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, after the Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja.

Alausa said the Council also approved the President’s directive for the transfer of unclaimed dividends from the capital market trust fund and the dormant account trust fund to NELFUND.

The measures are aimed at strengthening NELFUND’s financial capacity. More than 1.2 million students are currently benefiting from the scheme.

President Tinubu further directed the Ministers of Finance and Education, the Attorney-General of the Federation, and the Debt Management Office to work together to establish the legal framework for the transfer of the funds and unclaimed dividends to NELFUND.

NELFUND is the Federal Government’s interest-free student loan scheme that supports tuition and student upkeep.