Mrs Yemi-Esan said the approval of paternity leave is one of the major reforms introduced to the Nigerian civil service.

The Nigerian government has approved two weeks of paternity leave for new fathers.

This was disclosed by the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Folasade Yemi-Esan, at the end of Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council meeting.

Mrs Yemi-Esan said the approval of paternity leave is one of the major reforms introduced to the Nigerian civil service.

She said the last time Nigeria reviewed its Public Service Rules (PSR) was in 2008, thus the need for the latest review.

She also spoke on why the government-approved paternity leave.

“Paternity leave is the leave that is approved for men when their spouses or wives have given birth to a newborn baby; or if the husband and wife have just adopted a baby of fewer than four months, then the man is entitled to paternity leave of about 14 days.

“So, that is what has been approved for men. So that the men and their babies also can bond well together. It’s important because we want the young children and the youth really to bond properly with their fathers, just as they bond well with their mothers.

“So, this is the time that has been approved now, for men to bond at the early stages, especially at the early stages of a child’s life, that is when it’s very important for this bonding to take place,” she said.

Nigeria’s current civil service rule allows for six months of maternity leave for new mothers.