Didi Walson-Jack Retires as Head of Civil Service

Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) and Member of the National Institute (mni), retired as Head of Civil Service of the Federation on August 27, 2026. Her retirement was celebrated with the presentation of her two books, “I planted: A Memoir of Purposeful Service” and “Beyond the Mandate: A Memoir on Leadership, Legacy and Labour of Public Service,” at the Abuja Continental Hotel.

The event was attended by dignitaries including President Bola Tinubu, represented by Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Kingsley Ude, and former President Goodluck Jonathan. Walson-Jack, who began her public service career in 1992, was the third woman to serve in her role.

During her two-year tenure, she championed transformative reforms under the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021-2025, significantly increasing digitalized work processes and expanding government email access. Her leadership resulted in impressive outcomes, including transitioning the Office of Head of Service into an integrated cloud environment.