Nigeria Enhances Public Financial Management Leadership

Nigeria has joined a leadership development program aimed at strengthening public financial management across Africa, specifically for senior officials involved in financial management reforms. This initiative is implemented by the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) with support from the Gates Foundation.

Nigeria and Tanzania are participating in the second cohort of the Leadership and Governance in Public Financial Management program, while Ethiopia has joined the third cohort. Mamadou Biteye, Executive Secretary of ACBF, stated that the program combines self-assessment, personal development plans, coaching, and peer learning to address real public financial management challenges.

The initiative has enrolled over 295 participants from eight African countries since its launch in 2024. Biteye emphasized that effective leadership is crucial for translating policies and technical reforms into sustainable results.

Adil Abarabu, Senior Programme Officer at the Gates Foundation, noted that merely strengthening technical capacity is insufficient for lasting reforms, as many challenges are linked to leadership and managing resistance to change.