Women Make Up 43.84% of Federal Civil Service Workforce, Says HCSF
Women account for 43.84 per cent of the Federal Civil Service workforce, while their representation among senior officers on Grade Levels 15–17 stands at 42.31 per cent, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Mr. Olumuyiwa Enitan Abel, has disclosed.
Abel made this known in a goodwill message at a high-level strategy meeting on accelerating gender equality and women’s empowerment in Nigeria, organised by UN Women on Monday, October 26, 2026, at the UN House in Abuja.
He reaffirmed the Federal Civil Service’s commitment to inclusive leadership, women’s career advancement and gender equality through ongoing public service reforms.
According to the HCSF, women occupy 40.11 per cent of positions at Grade Level 17, highlighting the need for deliberate measures to strengthen their representation in senior leadership.
He emphasised the strategic partnership between the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) and UN Women, supported by a five-year Memorandum of Understanding signed at the 2026 International Civil Service Conference.
The partnership is aimed at advancing gender-responsive public sector reforms and creating more opportunities for women’s professional development and leadership.
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Abel also highlighted the Inclusive Network for Supporting Progressive Leadership, Innovation, Reform and Equity for Women (INSPIRE), launched by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, as a platform for mentoring, leadership development and institutional inclusion.
He said the initiative would help strengthen women’s professional advancement and promote greater participation in leadership across the public service.
The HCSF further identified existing institutional provisions supporting women and families, including 112 working days of maternity leave with full pay, merit-based career progression and safeguards against workplace harassment.
He noted that these measures provide a foundation for building a Civil Service that promotes equal opportunities, workforce productivity and institutional effectiveness.
Abel reaffirmed the OHCSF’s readiness to collaborate with UN Women and development partners to strengthen implementation, build institutional capacity and establish measurable outcomes for women’s leadership and professional advancement.
In her remarks, the UN Women Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ms. Beatrice Eyong, commended the Federal Civil Service for its commitment to gender equality and women’s empowerment.
Eyong described the five-year agreement with the OHCSF as a strong foundation for advancing gender-responsive governance and pledged UN Women’s technical support towards achieving measurable and sustainable outcomes for women and girls across Nigeria.
Other stakeholders at the meeting stressed the need for sustained collaboration, coordinated interventions and adequate investment to accelerate gender equality and women’s empowerment in the country.
