The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Bagudu, has called on special advisers and technical assistants to ministers to strengthen their support for effective public policy formulation and implementation.
Bagudu made the appeal on Monday in Abuja at the opening of a capacity-building workshop organised by the Ministerial Aides Network in collaboration with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung.
He emphasised that ministerial aides play a crucial role in enhancing governance, national planning and efficient public service delivery, noting that strong institutional capacity remains central to achieving national development goals.
“As ministers come into office from different professional and political backgrounds, organised technical assistance is essential to help them deliver effectively. No nation can achieve its development objectives without strong institutions, and advisers and technical experts are key to shaping policy and strengthening those institutions,” Bagudu said.
The minister explained that the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, which evolved from the former National Planning Commission, continues to assess skills required for national development and recommend reforms and training in partnership with development organisations.
Drawing from his experience in public office, Bagudu urged participants to embrace humility and continuous learning, stressing the importance of identifying knowledge gaps and seeking improvement. He also advised them to use their access to policy processes responsibly and communicate complex issues in clear and accessible language.
While acknowledging concerns about remuneration in the public sector, he encouraged constructive dialogue and policy engagement to address such challenges. He described advisory and technical roles as valuable career platforms and urged participants to take advantage of the workshop to strengthen Nigeria’s policy advisory framework and promote evidence-based decision-making.
The workshop brought together special advisers and technical assistants serving ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to enhance their skills, improve institutional effectiveness and promote best practices in democratic governance.
