Nigeria Launches New Structures To Advance Gender Equality

AFOLABI SAHEED OLAWALE 

The policies and budgets that shape the lives of millions of Nigerians pass through the Federal Civil Service. To ensure those systems work more equitably for women and men, UN Women and the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) have inaugurated the Steering Committee and Technical Working Group on Gender-Responsive Planning and Budgeting (GRPB) and the INSPIRE Programme.

The inauguration marks a significant milestone in implementing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between UN Women and the OHCSF to advance gender equality and strengthen women’s leadership within Nigeria’s Federal Civil Service. The newly inaugurated structures will provide strategic and technical oversight for integrating gender-responsive approaches into planning, budgeting, policy implementation, and institutional reform across government ministries, departments, and agencies.

Speaking at the inauguration on August 25, 2026, the UN Women Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ms. Beatrice Eyong, described the moment as a turning point for institutional reform.

“Today is not merely a ceremony but the moment when commitment becomes structure, and structure becomes the engine of implementation,” she said. “By inaugurating the Steering Committee and Technical Working Group, the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation is signaling that gender equity in the Federal Civil Service will be a result we plan for, budget for, measure, and deliver.”

At the heart of the initiative is Gender-Responsive Planning and Budgeting (GRPB), an approach that ensures government policies, plans, and resources respond to the different needs and realities of women and men. By integrating gender considerations throughout the planning and budgeting process, government institutions can better address inequalities and deliver more inclusive development outcomes.

The initiative is further strengthened by the INSPIRE Programme (Inclusive Network for Supporting Progress, Innovation, Reform and Equity for Women), a five-year effort designed to promote women’s leadership, professional growth, and gender-responsive policies across the Federal Civil Service. Developed in response to findings from the Federal Civil Service Culture Diagnostic Survey, INSPIRE seeks to create a more enabling environment for women to thrive and lead within public institutions.

Emphasizing the broader significance of the reforms, Ms. Eyong noted:

“The Federal Civil Service is the machinery through which every national policy, every budget line, and every development programme reaches the Nigerian people. If the civil service is gender-responsive, governance is gender-responsive.”

Under the new framework, the Steering Committee will provide strategic leadership, while the Technical Working Group will drive implementation, coordination, monitoring, and learning. Together, they will support the effective integration of gender-responsive policies and practices across the Federal Civil Service.

Reaffirming UN Women’s support, Ms. Eyong highlighted the organization’s role in providing technical expertise, capacity strengthening, policy guidance, and evidence-based monitoring and evaluation.

“UN Women’s commitment as your technical partner is total and unwavering. We will walk with you at every step, from today’s inauguration to the day we jointly report a transformed, gender-equitable Federal Civil Service,” she affirmed.

The inauguration marks an important milestone in Nigeria’s efforts to build a more inclusive, equitable, and accountable public service. By strengthening the systems that shape governance and public policy, the initiative lays the groundwork for a Federal Civil Service that better serves all Nigerians and advances gender equality at every level.