Mrs. Grace Adayilo, the pioneer and first female Head of Civil Service of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has died. She reportedly passed away in the early hours of Monday, September 1, 2025.
Her death was confirmed by her Special Assistant on Media, Anthony Odey, who simply stated, “Yes, please,” when asked about her passing, but refused to provide further details regarding the circumstances of her demise.
Adayilo was appointed as the first substantive Head of Service of the FCT by President Bola Tinubu on October 6, 2024, making history as both the pioneer HoS of the FCT and the first woman to occupy the position. Before assuming that role, she served as the Permanent Secretary of the Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat.
As of now, neither her family nor the FCT Administration has issued any official statement on the cause of her death.
FCT Minister Nyesom Wike expressed deep sorrow over her death, describing it as “really sad and unfortunate.” He noted that Adayilo served the administration with honor, professionalism, and a deep commitment to the growth of the FCT.
Her tenure was marked by efforts to reform and strengthen the FCT civil service, promote merit-based advancement, and ensure better working conditions for government employees.
