By Faith Anisiobi, The Sight News
The Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation has called on public sector leaders to strengthen stakeholder engagement, institutional collaboration and accountability to ensure effective implementation of government reforms.
The foundation made the call at its 2026 Public Sector Reform Convening, themed “Unblocking Reform: From Design to Delivery,” held in Lagos on October 14.
The convening brought together public sector leaders, alumni and reform stakeholders to explore practical ways of addressing challenges that hinder the implementation of reforms across Africa.
The event built on the foundation’s ongoing work with its alumni network, a growing community of public sector reform leaders, and drew on an analysis of alumni reform projects that identified stakeholder engagement, communication, organizational culture and collaboration as key factors influencing successful implementation.
Speaking at the event, Executive Vice Chair of the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation, Ofovwe Aig-Imoukhuede, said successful reforms depended on understanding institutional realities and building the support needed to sustain change.
She noted that effective reform leadership required more than improved communication, stressing the need to understand institutional contexts, listen to affected stakeholders and deliberately build support for implementation.
The programme featured a keynote address by Lagos State Head of Service, Olabode Shuaheeb Agoro, as well as a panel discussion on “Advancing Reform: Building Buy-In and Coalitions.”
An interactive session with experienced reform leaders also examined stakeholder engagement, communicating change and sustaining reforms over time.
Agoro highlighted the need to address underlying challenges that hinder reform implementation, noting that resistance could arise from gaps in skills, resources or understanding.
He stressed that leaders must communicate the purpose of reforms, align institutions with their objectives, provide the necessary resources and capabilities, and maintain accountability beyond the implementation stage.
According to him, engaging stakeholders at all levels is essential to ensuring that people feel included in the reform process.
Participants also took part in a Reform Reality Check and a Reform Solutions Lab, where multidisciplinary groups developed practical approaches to strengthening organizational support, stakeholder engagement and collaboration.
The foundation said the convening formed part of its broader effort to position its alumni network as a platform for peer learning, strategic dialogue and collaboration among public sector reform leaders.
It added that the initiative was aimed at ensuring reforms were not only well designed but also implemented in ways that deliver better outcomes for citizens.
