Sanwo-Olu public service reform boosts innovation, accountability, and excellence to build a world-class Lagos workforce

Sanwo-Olu public service reform is gaining momentum as the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to building a world-class workforce driven by innovation, accountability, and technology.

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Speaking at the closing ceremony of the Lagos State Public Service Accelerator Programme (PSAP), themed Pass It On: Sustaining Excellence in Public Service”, the Governor represented by Deputy Governor Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat emphasised that human capital development is central to the THEMES+ Agenda.

He stressed that the agenda cannot succeed without deliberately strengthening the capacity, mindset, and effectiveness of public servants tasked with executing government policies.

According to him, the PSAP represents a strategic investment designed to equip Lagos’ workforce to tackle 21st-century challenges with creativity, empathy, and resilience.

“Public service is the backbone of governance and the engine that drives policy execution. Our goal is to institutionalise excellence so that it becomes a culture passed from one generation of public servants to the next,” Sanwo-Olu said.

The Governor highlighted that the programme demonstrates his administration’s determination to modernise governance by equipping officers with the skills to embrace innovation and deliver quality service to citizens.

He assured that the government would continue to support initiatives that promote accountability, innovation, and continuity in the service.

In his goodwill message, Hon. Oladele Ajayi, Chairman of the House Committee on Establishments, Training, Pensions and Public Service, described the initiative as evidence of the state’s resolve to build a resilient, future-ready workforce.

He noted that targeting officers at Grade Levels 12–14 entrenches values of innovation, diligence, and accountability within the system.

Commissioner for Establishments and Training, Mr. Afolabi Ayantayo, explained that the three-month programme trained participants in leadership, technology, diplomacy, communication, financial literacy, and mental health.

Through the Pass-It-On initiative, officers cascaded this knowledge to more than 500 junior colleagues across 20 MDAs—creating what he called a “multiplier effect that sustains excellence in the service.”

In his lecture, Prof. Ayo Omotayo, Director-General of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), underscored the importance of institutionalising excellence.

He described middle-level officers as pivotal to governance since they interpret policy directives, draft frameworks, and mentor junior colleagues.

“Empowering this cadre ensures continuity, resilience, and institutional memory in public service,” Omotayo said.

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The event, attended by senior officials, lawmakers, and civil servants, ended with a charge to participants to become torchbearers of excellence and ensure that Lagos’ culture of service delivery remains a lasting legacy.