Dr. Folashade Mejabi Yemi-Esan, CFR

Head of Service of the Federation

Dr. Folashade Mejabi Yemi-Esan CFR (née Mejabi; born 13 August 1964), is a a Dental Surgeon. Educated at the prestigious University of Ibadan, Nigeria, she graduated as the best Bachelor of Dental Surgery student in 1987. She later earned a Certificate in Health Planning and Management and Master’s Degree in Public and International Administration both with distinctions.

Yemi-Esan was born in Kaduna State, Nigeria. She is from Ikoyi, ljumu, Kogi State. She had her primary school education at Bishop Smith School, Ilorin and preceded to Federal Government College, Ilorin for her Secondary School Education.

She started her career at the Federal Ministry of Health and rose to become a Director. During her service at the Ministry, she served in different positions, among them – Coordinator of Oral Health in Schools Programme, Liaison officer West Africa Health Organization (WAHO) and Director, Health Planning, Research, and Statistics.

Dr. Yemi-Esan, rose to the position of Federal Permanent Secretary in 2012 serving first as Permanent Secretary, Service Policy and Strategy Office in the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation and thereafter as Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, where she led the professional development of efforts aimed at positive management of Nigeria’s reputation and perception both locally and at the international arena.

She also served as Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education where she chaired, the committees for the appointment of Rectors and Provosts into selected Federal Polytechnics and Federal Colleges of Education respectively (in the absence of Council), and Permanent Secretary, Career Management Office (OHCSF) where she served as Secretary, Committee for the Selection Exercise of Permanent Secretaries in the Federal Civil Service.

Before her appointment as acting Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Yemi-Esan was Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, where she was appointed as Director on the Boards of the Nigeria LNG and Bonny Gas Transport Ltd.

On 18 September 2019, she was appointed as the acting Head of Civil Service of the Federation by the President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari and on 28 February 2020, she was made the permanent Head of Civil Service of the Federation and was sworn into office on 4 March 2020.