- Issued by
- Most Influential People of African Descent
- Year
- 2026
- Date
- 25 Sept. 2026
- Venue
- New York City, USA
MIPAD Global Service Award — Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, OON, mni
Some lives are measured by the positions they occupy. Others are measured by the difference they make.
For over three decades, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack has dedicated her career to public service, rising through Nigeria’s civil service to become Head of the Civil Service of the Federation. Her journey has been defined by purpose, integrity, institution-building and an unwavering commitment to leaving every system stronger than she found it. (Kola King)
As a reform-minded leader, she championed a more efficient, professional and digitally enabled public service, while placing people, performance and institutional transformation at the heart of her work. Her legacy extends beyond policies and programmes to the people she inspired, the systems she strengthened and the future she helped prepare.
Her story is one of purposeful service — of planting, nurturing and building for generations yet to come.
Today, that remarkable journey receives global recognition.
MIPAD proudly presents the 2026 Global Service Award to Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, OON, mni, in recognition of her exceptional contribution to public service, leadership and institutional transformation. (LinkedIn)
A career of service.
A legacy of transformation.
An impact that transcends borders.
Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack — Global Service Award Honouree, MIPAD 2026.
Photographs
Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack
Lawyer, public administrator, reformer and author. Thirty-four years of public service, now a speaker and global advisor on institutions and leadership.
