Abuja: The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has reaffirmed its commitment to building a competent, ethical, and future-ready civil service in line with President Bola Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’. FCT Head of Service, Mrs. Nancy Nathan, made this commitment in Abuja during the opening of a Strategic Validation Workshop on the FCT Leadership Enhancement and Development Programme (FCT-LEAD-P) for Permanent Secretaries.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Nathan explained that the initiative aims to advance the ongoing leadership and public service reform within the administration. She emphasized that effective leadership development is crucial for policy implementation and improved service delivery to residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The head of service detailed that the programme institutionalizes succession planning, talent development, and ethical leadership through a structured, competency-based framework aligning with both local realities and global best practices. She urged the permanent secretaries to actively contribute to the validation of the programme’s syllabus, highlighting that their inputs would shape the quality of future leaders in the FCT civil service.
Earlier, Mr. Rotimi Ajayi, the Permanent Secretary for Common Services, underscored the importance of innovation in communication as a vital tool for effective service delivery. Ajayi described the workshop as timely and consistent with the reform drive of the Nyesom Wike-led FCTA and the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, 2025. He noted that the workshop provided an opportunity for senior officers to improve their communication approaches and strengthen the image and effectiveness of the civil service.
Ajayi pointed out that beyond technical competence, public servants need to be skilled in communicating government policies and programmes clearly, credibly, and persuasively to enhance public trust, stakeholder engagement, and citizen satisfaction. He reiterated FCTA’s commitment to continue supporting programmes that promote professionalism, innovation, and excellence in the public service. Ajayi also commended Dr. Jumai Ahmadu, acting Director of the Reform Coordination and Service Improvement Department, for the laudable initiative.
In a technical session, Ahmadu explained that the programme is a flagship initiative designed to strengthen leadership capacity and service delivery within the FCT civil service. She noted that the FCTA has made significant progress in implementing the FCT-LEAD-P, identifying key achievements such as the development of a competency-based leadership framework tailored to the FCT’s needs and ensuring relevance, effectiveness, and sustainability.
Ahmadu added that a comprehensive curriculum covering leadership theory, practical skills, ethics, innovation, and public sector reforms has been successfully drafted in collaboration with key experts. She elaborated that the programme also witnessed a transparent and merit-based selection process for the pilot cohort of potential officers, with stakeholder engagement sessions held with directors and technical teams to foster institutional ownership and strengthen programme relevance and preparatory arrangements.
She concluded that the validation workshop for the permanent secretaries was intended to review and endorse the LEAD-P syllabus and align the programme with the Administration’s reform and service delivery agenda.