Nasarawa State has approved six months of fully paid maternity leave and 14 days of paid paternity leave for civil servants, setting a new benchmark for public sector welfare in Nigeria. The policy, confirmed by state officials, applies to all female workers in the state's employ and includes two weeks of pre-natal and 24 weeks of post-natal leave. Male civil servants are entitled to two weeks of paid paternity leave within six weeks of their child's birth. The move is part of a broader initiative to improve maternal and child health outcomes, backed by data showing longer leave periods correlate with lower infant mortality and better nutrition. Civil Society-Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) welcomed the decision, describing it as "a progressive step toward achieving equitable health outcomes for mothers and newborns." Nasarawa joins a small number of Nigerian states to implement such a policy, though no specific implementation date was provided. The development has sparked calls for other states and the federal government to adopt similar measures.
Nasarawa's move puts it ahead of even the federal government, which still limits maternity leave to three months. By extending paid leave to six months, Governor Abdullahi Sule's administration has set a standard that makes existing national policy look outdated. This kind of investment in early childhood and maternal health doesn't just support women—it strengthens workforce retention and child development. Other states now have a working example of progressive policy, not just a recommendation.
