“Our mission at the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation is to transform public sector delivery in Africa and one of the ways we do this is by building capacity in the public sector workforce,” said Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Chairman of the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation. “With the AIG Public Leaders Programme, we are offering public servants across Africa a unique opportunity to access a world class training programme that will enhance their professional skill set and leadership abilities and empower them to be more effective in their roles. It gives us enormous pleasure to be able to offer scholarships to exceptional public sector leaders who are committed to building a better Africa.”

The Dean of the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford, Professor Ngaire Woods said: “We are delighted to see the AIG Public Leaders Programme run again after such a successful first year as part of our long-standing partnership with the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation. The Blavatnik School specially designs executive programmes for public leaders to ensure that participants learn from world-renowned scholars, outstanding practitioners, and from one another, taking into account the current context for public sector leadership in Africa and the challenges of an increasingly complex and dynamic world.”

The Programme aims to strengthen the skills that rising senior public servants need to build cultures of excellence, effectiveness, and integrity throughout the institutions they lead and across the public sector. It comprises seven weeks of world-class training led by an excellent faculty from the University of Oxford, who through a blend of online sessions and classroom discussions, simulations, real-world exercises, and group work, provide participants with an unparalleled opportunity to develop the conceptual frameworks and practical tools they need to meet the challenges of today’s rapidly changing and complex world.

Programme alumni have nothing but praise for their experience. “I was deeply engaged, interrogating both personal and professional assumptions across a wide range of public service subjects,” says Ada Phil-Ugochukwu, Assistant Director and Head of Policy and Strategy at the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate in Imo State, Nigeria. “Participating in the Public Leaders Programme was a priceless opportunity to improve my professional skillset and the services I deliver to the public.”

Olufesobi Bright, Deputy Chief Planning Officer at the National Petroleum Investment Management Services Lagos, says taking tough decisions in challenging times is part of the public service job. “The Public Leaders Programme enabled me to develop a clearer view on how to approach complex problems, and make decisions that meet stakeholder expectations, without compromising my own integrity. It was a privilege to be tutored by world-class experts from   the University of Oxford

“Our commitment to the improvement of the public sector across Africa means that this year, applications are invited from all African countries”, says Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation Executive Vice-Chair, Mrs Ofovwe Aig-Imoukhuede.  “This is an investment not only in the individuals who are selected to participate in the programme but also an investment in our continent, in line with our vision to close the gap between Africa and the rest of the world,” she says.

Scholarships will be awarded by the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation to 100 African public servants for the 2022 cycle of the Public Leaders Programme. Applicants are required to have a minimum of seven-years of active service in the public sector and occupy a Directorate level position. 

Only the best-of-the-best applicants will be selected. Entry to the programme is very competitive. The final admission decision rests with the University of Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government.

For comprehensive eligibility criteria and how to apply, please visit www.aigimoukhuedefoundation.org/aigplp