What UN Women’s Partnership with the Nigerian Civil Service means for Inclusive Governance.
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UN Women has formalised a landmark partnership with the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, marking a strategic pivot toward embedding gender-responsive governance at the very core of Africa’s largest public administration.
The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) took place during the high-level International Civil Service Conference in Abuja, which also featured the official launch of the INSPIRE initiative. Organised by the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, H.E. Amina J. Mohammed, alongside the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, the conference convened Heads of Civil Service, senior government officials, and development partners from across the region to build more inclusive, accountable, and effective public institutions.
Opportunity For Systemic Change
Partnering with the Nigerian Civil Service represents a massive opportunity for systemic change. As the engine room of government, the civil service is responsible for translating political willpower into daily reality for over 200 million citizens. When public institutions lack gender balance or gender awareness, public policies, budgets, and services inevitably reflect those blind spots. By transforming the civil service from within, UN Women and the Government of Nigeria are not just altering an institution—they are reshaping how public policy is designed, funded, and executed across the nation.
Representing the Executive Director of UN Women, Sima Bahous, the UN Women Regional Director for West and Central Africa, Maxime Houinato, delivered a goodwill message highlighting the importance of sustained investment, accountability, and collaboration. “Today’s launch represents a bold commitment to innovation, reform, and equity for women,” he stated.
Houinato commended Nigeria’s existing foundations in advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment, pointing to milestones such as the Third National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security and the domestication of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act across several states. “These milestones build on the notable adoption of international conventions that strengthen the protection and development of women across the country,” he said.
While acknowledging progress, the Regional Director emphasised that structural barriers continue to limit women’s political representation, economic inclusion, and leadership opportunities. “These are not isolated challenges; they are deeply structural barriers that require sustained and deliberate solutions,” he noted, emphasising that a whole-of-government approach is critical to driving long-term change.
Cultivating Leadership from Entry-Level to Executive
A central mechanism for achieving this institutional shift is the newly launched INSPIRE initiative. In her opening remarks, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, described INSPIRE as a transformative platform designed to strengthen institutional capacity, expand mentorship, and create an enabling environment for women to thrive.
“INSPIRE is about building capacity, breaking barriers, and elevating women across the civil service,” Walson-Jack stated. The initiative will systematically support women from entry-level positions up to senior leadership through professional networks, leadership development, and structural reforms designed to improve institutional inclusion and accountability.
The First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, delivered the keynote address, framing the initiative as a powerful engine for national advancement. “We must build a workforce where women can thrive, lead, and excel,” she said, urging women across the public sector to “rise, lead, and shape the future with courage and determination.”
From Commitments to Concrete Action
Despite making up a significant portion of the public sector workforce, women remain starkly underrepresented at the highest levels of senior decision-making where national budgets and policies are finalised.
Speaking on this gap, the Honourable Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, underscored the urgency of addressing these systemic inequalities. “Gender inequality remains a serious challenge that continues to deepen disparities and limit progress for our citizens. The work is far from over; we must now move from commitments to concrete action,” the Minister stated.
She described INSPIRE as a practical mechanism for translating high-level gender policies into daily institutional reality, reaffirming the Ministry’s commitment to leveraging partnerships to ensure its success.
A New Chapter for Institutional Reform
The signing of the MoU between UN Women and the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation establishes a formal, rigorous framework for collaboration. The agreement will focus heavily on institutionalising gender-responsive budgeting, expanding executive leadership pathways for women, and strengthening data and accountability mechanisms within the public sector.
By directly engaging with the bureaucratic machinery of Nigeria, UN Women’s latest partnership underscores a vital truth: achieving sustainable development and effective governance requires women to be equal partners in national development. Through this historic collaboration, Nigeria is positioning its civil service not just as an employer, but as an exemplary leader in the global march toward true gender equality.