Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita (born 20 April 1964) is a Nigerian accountant and retired civil servant who served as Head of the Civil Service of the Federation from January 2016 until September 2019. She was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari and was the third woman to hold the position of head of Nigeria's federal civil service.

Before she became head of the civil service, Oyo-Ita served as permanent secretary in the Federal Civil Service, including at the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs and the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology.

Oyo-Ita was investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegations of fraud and money laundering. She was asked to proceed on leave, and later tried and acquitted by the Federal High Court.

Early life and education Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita was born on 20 April 1964 in Cross River State, Nigeria and is from Adiabo in the Odukpani Local Government Area of the state.

She studied at Queen's College, Lagos and at Federal Government College, Malali, Kaduna, where she obtained her senior school certificate. She proceeded to the University of Lagos, where she studied accounting and received her Bachelor of Science degree in 1984; later, she earned a master's degree in public administration from Nasarawa State University.

Oyo-Ita holds the position of Fellow with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN).

Career

Private sector Oyo-Ita began her career in the private sector, and from 1993 to 1995 she was Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Cross River Estates Limited.

Federal Civil Service Oyo-Ita entered the Federal Civil Service in 1997 and, while working in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, advanced through the ranks in the finance and accounts cadre. She was appointed Director of Finance and Accounts in January 2009.

In March 2013, she was appointed permanent secretary and assigned to the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs; thereafter, she was redeployed to the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology in April 2014.

Head of the Civil Service of the Federation In October 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari named Oyo-Ita as Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, replacing Danladi Kifasi. She took office on 6 January 2016.

While she was in office, Oyo-Ita promoted a number of reforms aimed at increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of the federal civil service. The office drew up the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2017–2020 (FCSSIP), whose main objective was to achieve an "Efficient, Productive, Incorruptible and Citizen-centred" civil service.

The strategy involved reforms in human resource management, staff development, technology, performance management, and service delivery.

In 2018, Oyo-Ita introduced the Public Service Learning Management System, an online platform which was intended to assist with the training and professional development of civil servants.

The office also promoted the Federal Integrated Staff Housing (FISH) programme, which aimed to help federal civil servants access affordable housing through partnerships between government organisations and private developers.

In 2018, the Office of the Head of the Civil Service commissioned a culture diagnostic survey that raised concerns about nepotism in appointments and promotions within the federal civil service. The survey received responses from 5,876 employees and was conducted as part of the civil service reform strategy.

Leave of absence and retirement In September 2019, Oyo-Ita was asked to proceed on an indefinite leave of absence while the EFCC investigated allegations of fraud and money laundering.

Folashade Yemi-Esan was made acting Head of the Civil Service of the Federation after Oyo-Ita had left the post.

In February 2020, President Buhari approved the retirement of Oyo-Ita from the Federal Civil Service, with effect from 27 February 2020; Yemi-Esan was then confirmed as substantive Head of the Civil Service.

EFCC case In March 2020, the EFCC presented Oyo-Ita, along with eight other defendants, before the Federal High Court in Abuja on 18 counts of fraud and money laundering. The charges concerned about ₦570 million and cited allegations regarding duty tour allowances, estacodes, conference fees and contracts.

Oyo-Ita denied the charges. The prosecution presented eight witnesses during the trial and submitted documentary evidence.

Acquittal On 5 May 2026, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja agreed with the no-case arguments put forward by Oyo-Ita and her eight co-defendants and set them free, acquitting them on all 18 counts.

The court concluded that the prosecution had not established a prima facie case against the defendants. Justice Omotosho said that the prosecution's case relied on speculation, suspicion and an inadequate investigation, and determined that the essential elements needed to prove the alleged money-laundering offences had not been shown.

The court also concluded that the prosecution had not proven that the funds allegedly received by Oyo-Ita were proceeds from illegal activities and therefore accepted the defendants' submissions that no case could be made, discharging and acquitting them on all the charges.

Awards and honours National Productivity Order of Merit Award (NPOM) — Oyo-Ita received the award in 2018. Mayegun of Okemesi — a traditional title conferred on Oyo-Ita by the monarch of Okemesi, Ekiti State, in January 2018.

See also Nigerian Civil Service

References