Organizational Learning as A Driver of Public Sector Innovation: Evidence from Lagos State, Nigeria

Abstract Book of the 8th International Conference on Research in Human Resource Management

Year: 2026

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Organizational Learning as A Driver of Public Sector Innovation: Evidence from Lagos State, Nigeria

Bolade Oladeji

ABSTRACT:

ABSTARCT
This study examines how organizational learning initiatives have driven public-sector innovation in Lagos State, Nigeria, by reviewing recent capacity-building and training programs implemented by the Ministry of Establishments and Training, the Lagos State Office of Transformation, Creativity and Innovation (OTCI), and the Public Service Staff Development Centre (PSSDC). Lagos has significantly expanded its learning agenda: in the first eight months of 2025 alone, more than 120 training programs were delivered across all civil service grades. These programmes covered leadership, digital skills, and ethics, reflecting a strategic shift toward continuous professional development. Metrics from the OTCI indicate that more than 32 Ministries, Departments and Agencies, 18,000 civil servants participated, demonstrating a pervasive culture of learning across the public service. Lagos’s approach is compared with similar initiatives in South Africa, particularly the Centre for Public Service Innovation and the National School of Government, and with the United Kingdom’s “One Big Thing” campaign. The study examines the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to advance government learning and capability development. Lagos’s recent launch of an AI governance platform exemplifies forward-thinking public policy. Internationally, governments are also upskilling public employees in AI, including the United States. General Services Administration’s AI Training Series, while deploying AI-enabled tools for personalized learning. The findings indicate that sustained investment in formal and informal learning—from digital literacy certifications to innovation laboratories- can strengthen MDA performance and improve citizen service delivery. Lagos’s model, grounded in a learning-organization ethos, provides valuable insights for public-sector transformation and administrative innovation globally.

Keywords: Artificial Intelligence; Capacity Building; Innovation; Lagos State; Organizational Learning