In a significant move to strengthen governance across Nigeria and Africa, the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation has successfully trained over 500 public servants through its various capacity-building initiatives. The foundation's efforts are transforming public service delivery from within the system.
Building Africa's Public Sector Leadership
The Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation, a philanthropic organization dedicated to public sector transformation, has been working quietly but effectively to enhance governance through multiple approaches. According to Audu Olokpo, Vice President of the foundation, their core mission focuses on building a better Africa by improving government institution effectiveness and promoting good governance.
The foundation's comprehensive strategy includes supporting primary healthcare centre rehabilitation, driving public sector reforms, and implementing capacity building programs for senior public service personnel across the continent. Their partnership with the University of Oxford's Blavatnik School of Government has been particularly impactful, delivering programs such as the AIG scholarship programme, the AIG Fellowship, and the AIG Public Leaders Programme.
Expanding Reach Across African Nations
The foundation's alumni network continues to grow significantly, with the recent commencement of the fifth cohort of the AIG Public Leaders Programme welcoming 72 outstanding African public servants. The network now spans multiple countries including South Africa, Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria, with plans to expand to Zambia, Tanzania, and Egypt in the coming months.
This diverse community brings together bright and dedicated professionals from various public service sectors at both federal and state levels, creating a rich network of intellectual resources. Members actively engage, exchange ideas, collaborate on problem-solving, and create opportunities that were previously beyond individual reach within their respective organizations.
Sustained Engagement Through Upskilling Programs
The foundation maintains strong alumni connections through regular upskilling events held in Lagos and Abuja. These sessions, organized in collaboration with the Alumni Association, address current topical issues affecting public servants in their mission to create positive impact. The events also provide valuable networking opportunities for participants from different PLP and MPP scholar cohorts.
Recent upskilling programs have covered critical areas including negotiation skills, lobbying and stakeholder management, project planning and execution, securing funding, building strategic partnerships, monitoring and evaluation, project impact measurement, and ethics in public procurement. The foundation ensures high-quality instruction by engaging distinguished resource persons, including past and present permanent secretaries, chief executives, and private sector leaders.
Tangible Impact on Service Delivery
The training programs are delivering measurable results in public service improvement. A compelling example comes from Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency and alumna of the AIG Public Leaders Programme (Cohort 4).
Recognizing that over 12,000 survivors sought help from DSVA within two years but often couldn't obtain justice due to lost or destroyed evidence, Vivour-Adeniyi led the creation of a transformative self-reporting feature accessible on lagosdsvcms.org. This innovative tool serves as a secure digital safe for survivors, allowing them to document incidents immediately and preserve crucial evidence like pictures and videos until they're ready to seek justice.
The foundation's impact extends beyond individual success stories to systemic changes within Nigeria's public service. Visible benefits include the adoption of technology in document processing within the Federal Civil Service, implementation of new performance management systems, review of public service rules with provisions for virtual meetings, recognition awards for best-performing personnel, and the introduction of service-wise ChatGPT and circulars portals.
Public servants interested in joining this transformative journey can apply through the foundation's annual public call for applications, announced via the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, the foundation's social media platforms, and its alumni community.
