Abiola Assumes Office As CLTC’s First Female DG In 70 Years

History was made this week at the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre (CLTC) as Honourable Rinsola Abiola officially assumed office as the first woman to head the organisation since its establishment more than 70 years ago.

Abiola, appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Monday, August 11, 2025, resumed duty at the Centre’s Abuja headquarters on Wednesday, August 13. She arrived to submit her appointment letter and immediately took up her new role, filling the leadership gap left by former Director-General, Adesoji Eniade, mni, whose exit two months ago saw two acting DGs serve in succession.

Her first public appearance in her new capacity came earlier on International Youth Day, where she represented CLTC at a celebration organised by the Federal Ministry of Youth Development.

The mood at CLTC headquarters the following day was jubilant as staff turned out in large numbers to welcome their new boss. In her address, Abiola expressed appreciation to the President for the historic appointment.

“I am grateful to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for entrusting me with this role,” she said. “This is further proof of his commitment to empowering youths and women. I pledge to deliver on my mandate and I thank the staff for the warm reception.”

A strategic communication and government relations expert, Abiola previously served as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Citizenship and Leadership. She has spent over a decade working at the intersection of politics and civil society, championing civic education, political literacy, and the inclusion of marginalised groups in governance.

She holds a B.Sc in Statistics, a Diploma in Public Relations, and has participated in international study programmes in the United States, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. A certified public relations professional, she has worked across public, private, and non-profit sectors.

Beyond her professional roles, Abiola runs the Derinsola Abiola Foundation in Abeokuta, an empowerment platform for women and youth, and volunteers as a facilitator with The Electoral College Nigeria. She has also served on the advisory board of the World Youth Movement for Democracy (Africa Region) and was named in 2019 as one of 25 young Nigerian women to champion the UN Women Beijing Platform for Action goals.

Her appointment, stakeholders say, signals a fresh chapter for the CLTC, marking both a historic breakthrough for women in leadership and a renewed focus on youth development and civic engagement in Nigeria.