The Government of Nigeria has approved a two-week paternity leave for civil servants.
This signifies a major shift in the country’s civil service rules and comes after years of debate around the issue.
Nigeria’s Head of Civil Service Folasade Yemi-Esan said that the 14-day paternity leave is to enable fathers and their newborns “bond well together”.
She says the leave is applicable to men whose spouses have given birth and those who have adopted a baby who is less than four months old.
Prior to this policy, only women were entitled to a maternity leave.
The introduction of the paternity leave in Nigeria comes as campaigners continue to advocate for men to be more involved in childcare and to support mothers.
This is an attempt to shift from the tradition of leaving childcare responsibility solely with the mothers.