By HeapNews
The Lagos State Government on Tuesday said it was expanding investments in human capital development and academic partnerships as part of efforts to build a globally competitive public workforce capable of meeting modern governance challenges.
Speaking at the opening of the second edition of a two-day Executive Leadership Training Programme in Ikeja, Lagos State Head of Service Bode Agoro said the state was prioritising capacity building for senior public officials through specialised postgraduate programmes aligned with their career paths.
Agoro, represented by Permanent Secretary in the Public Service Office Mrs Sunkanmi Oyegbola, said rapid technological change and rising public expectations required civil servants to move beyond “routine administration” and adopt innovative leadership approaches.
“The pace of global advancement demands a more forward-thinking public service,” he said at the event held at the Marriott Hotel in Ikeja.
The programme, organised in partnership with Rome Business School Nigeria, is aimed at strengthening leadership, digital literacy and governance skills among officials in Lagos ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).
Commissioner for Tertiary Education Tolani Sule said the initiative aligned with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s “Greater Lagos” development agenda and would help public institutions respond more effectively to economic and technological challenges.
“The challenges of modern governance, from digital transformation to economic resilience, cannot be solved with the tools of yesterday,” Sule said.
He added that the partnership with Rome Business School Nigeria would expose state officials to international leadership practices while helping translate academic knowledge into practical governance solutions.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tertiary Education Adeniran Kasali said the training would equip participants with skills needed to manage the complexities of contemporary public administration.
General Manager of Rome Business School Nigeria Olalekan Asunmo said the programme combined academic facilitators and industry experts to deliver practical governance strategies designed to strengthen public service delivery.
Lagos State said the initiative formed part of broader efforts to prepare its workforce for the demands of 21st-century governance and maintain its position as a leading public service hub in Africa.