Mrs. Grace Adayilo, who was the very first Head of the Civil Service in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has sadly passed away.
According to reports, she died in the early hours of Monday, September 1, 2025. The news of her death was confirmed by Mr. Anthony Odey, who works as the Special Assistant on Media to the Head of Service. He sent a short text message to our correspondent saying, “Yes, please,” when asked if the news was true. However, he did not provide any more details about how or why she died.
It will be remembered that President Bola Tinubu had appointed Mrs. Adayilo as the Head of the Civil Service of the FCT on October 6, 2024. Her appointment took effect immediately, and it was seen as a historic moment. She became not only the first person to hold that position but also the first woman ever to do so in the FCT.
Before rising to that role, Mrs. Adayilo had already built a strong career in the public service. She served as the Permanent Secretary of the Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, where she was involved in important decisions and policies that affected the agricultural sector in the FCT.
As at the time this report was written, neither her family nor the FCT Administration had released an official statement about her passing or the circumstances surrounding it.
Her death marks the loss of a trailblazer and an important figure in Nigeria’s public service.
