In a significant move set to redefine public sector efficiency, the Lagos State Government has fully institutionalised its Competency Framework across all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). Moving beyond its successful pilot phase, this framework is now the standard human resource instrument deployed throughout the government to significantly enhance service delivery, foster talent development, and optimise workforce planning.
Mr. Afolabi Ayantayo, Commissioner for Establishments and Training, announced this landmark achievement during a meeting with representatives from Kinder Consulting Limited. He confirmed that the Competency Framework now underpins all personnel-related decisions within the state’s bureaucracy.
“We’ve embedded the Competency Framework as a standard across the State’s public service,” stated Commissioner Ayantayo. “From recruitment to promotions, and from deployment to training, this system ensures we are matching the right people to the right roles based on evidence, not assumptions.”
The Commissioner highlighted the framework’s recent application in the selection process for the Public-Private Sector Exchange Programme, which ensured that only officers who met specific role-based competencies were shortlisted for secondments to private sector institutions.
Mrs. Olubusola Abidakun, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Establishments and Training, hailed the framework’s institutionalisation as a game-changer for workforce efficiency.
“It has introduced a clear, standardised structure for assessing officers’ suitability and identifying development needs,” she explained. “MDAs are now more intentional about capacity building, as the required competencies for optimal performance are clearly defined.”
Mrs. Abidakun further noted that technical officers across the civil service are currently undergoing training on the framework’s practical application, with robust monitoring mechanisms established to ensure its proper utilisation and long-term sustainability.
Mrs. Patricia Akinlotan, Executive Director of Kinder Consulting and Lead Consultant on the Competency Framework Project, lauded Lagos State as a pacesetter in public sector innovation. “Lagos is leading by example,” Mrs. Akinlotan remarked. “With the full institutionalisation of this framework, the state government has moved from policy rhetoric to tangible implementation, truly aligning people, processes, and performance.”
She elaborated that the framework was developed in alignment with international standards while being meticulously tailored to the specific needs of the Lagos State Civil Service. Mrs. Akinlotan emphasised that it provides a unified language for defining success in every role, across all levels of government. “This is more than just an HR tool; it’s a leadership tool,” she added. “It empowers MDAs to drive performance, nurture talent, facilitate succession planning, and promote fairness in decision-making.”
The Competency Framework initiative is a critical pillar of the Lagos State Government’s broader Civil Service Reform Agenda. This agenda aims to cultivate a professional, ethical, and high-performing workforce capable of effectively delivering on the administration’s development priorities.
As implementation deepens, the Ministry of Establishments and Training has reaffirmed its commitment to the continuous review and alignment of the framework with evolving policy directions.
