By Sarah NEGEDU
The Federal Capital Territory Administration has kicked off a fresh effort to overhaul its leadership system, beginning with a strategic review of how senior officers are trained and prepared for key responsibilities.
At a one-day strategic workshop, permanent secretaries were asked to validate the new FCT Leadership Enhancement and Development Programme, FCT-LEAD-P, a competency framework expected to redefine leadership development across the administration.
Declaring the session open, the FCT Head of Service, Mrs Nancy Sabanti Nathan, said the Administration is committed to building “a competent, ethical, and future-ready civil service,” stressing that leadership weaknesses often translate directly into poor service delivery to residents.
She explained that the LEAD-P provides “a structured, competency-based framework aligned with global best practices and local realities,” and urged permanent secretaries to take ownership of the validation process, noting that “their inputs would shape the quality of future leaders in the FCT Civil Service.”
The Permanent Secretary, Common Services, Mr Rotimi Ajayi, reinforced the urgency of the reforms, insisting that innovation in communication has become a critical leadership tool.
He commended the Reform Coordination and Service Improvement Department, RC&SID, for driving the initiative, describing it as timely and consistent with ongoing reforms under the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, and the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, FCSSIP 25.
Ajayi noted that modern public service demands more than technical competence, stressing that officers must “communicate government policies and programmes clearly, credibly, and persuasively” to strengthen public trust and improve citizen satisfaction.
In her technical presentation, the Acting Director of RC&SID, Jumai Ahmadu, outlined progress made since the LEAD-P rollout in early 2025, calling it a flagship reform aimed at reshaping the FCT civil service. She highlighted milestones including a new competency-based leadership framework, a comprehensive curriculum covering ethics, innovation and public-sector reforms, and a merit-driven selection process involving CBTs and oral interviews.
Ahmadu said ongoing engagements with directors and technical teams have strengthened institutional ownership, while preparations for training modules, facilitators and partnerships with local and international institutions are nearing completion.
She added that the validation workshop was designed to align the LEAD-P syllabus with the Administration’s broader service-delivery and accountability agenda.
The workshop further examined communication gaps, leadership bottlenecks and the need for senior officers to model a higher standard of professionalism across the FCTA.
