Lagos Equips 2,600 Public Officers for Future Leadership Through Legacy Knowledge Transfer Programme

Ministry of Establishments and Training initiative promotes institutional memory, succession planning and sustainable public service delivery

The Lagos State Government is strengthening institutional continuity and preparing the next generation of public service leaders through its Legacy Knowledge Transfer Programme, designed for 2,600 Grade Level 10–12 officers.

Implemented through the Ministry of Establishments and Training, the initiative seeks to preserve valuable institutional knowledge, improve knowledge-sharing practices and equip public officers with practical tools to ensure that critical experience and expertise are retained within the public service.

The programme, themed “Preserving Institutional Wisdom: A Legacy Knowledge Transfer Programme,” was delivered across three training streams, with each stream running for two days. The programme was facilitated by Fortis Edge Associates and Stephen and Mo Consulting Limited, under the leadership of lead consultant Mr Busayo Ogunmade, alongside fellow consultants Mr Saka Mohammed, Mr Kingsley Okere, Mr Festus Olaifa, Mr George Enyie and Mr Adewole Ekanola.

The initiative addresses a fundamental challenge confronting public institutions: how to ensure that years of professional experience, operational expertise and institutional memory are not lost when experienced officers retire, change roles or leave the service.

Through a practical, participatory approach, the programme focused on capturing, documenting, transferring and sustaining institutional knowledge. Participants explored how to identify critical knowledge within their units, assess risks associated with knowledge loss and establish systems that support continuity in government operations.

The first day of each training stream focused on capturing and documenting institutional knowledge. Sessions covered explicit and tacit knowledge, the importance of institutional memory, knowledge-risk assessment, structured interviews, active listening and techniques for eliciting valuable insights from experienced colleagues.

Case studies, group exercises and role-play activities enabled participants to practise knowledge-elicitation techniques and examine ways to preserve lessons that might otherwise remain undocumented or dependent on individual officers.

The second day focused on transferring, sharing and sustaining knowledge through process mapping, standard operating procedures, effective handover documentation, mentoring, job shadowing, peer learning and digital knowledge management.

Participants engaged in practical exercises designed to translate learning into workplace tools. These included knowledge-risk maps, knowledge-elicitation interview guides, mapped processes, draft standard operating procedures, completed handover templates and mentoring agreements.

The programme also incorporated digital knowledge management, with sessions on shared-folder organisation, file-naming conventions, electronic filing and records systems, voice and video notes, confidentiality and strategies for overcoming knowledge hoarding.

A key outcome of the training design was the development of individual 90-day Knowledge Transfer Action Plans, encouraging officers to identify practical steps for implementing knowledge-sharing practices in their respective workplaces. Post-assessment activities also formed part of the workshop process.

Speaking on the programme, lead consultant Mr Busayo Ogunmade described the initiative as a strategic investment in the future of public service and the preservation of institutional wisdom.

“Institutional knowledge is one of the most valuable assets any organisation possesses, yet it is often one of the least systematically preserved. When experienced officers move on without transferring what they know, institutions risk losing lessons, relationships and practical expertise accumulated over many years. This programme is about turning individual experience into lasting institutional wisdom,” Ogunmade said.

He explained that the three-stream delivery structure provided an opportunity to extend the programme to a wider group of officers while maintaining a practical, engaging and workplace-focused learning experience.

“Our goal was to move beyond theory and equip officers with tools they can apply in their daily responsibilities. From documenting standard operating procedures and conducting effective handovers to mentoring colleagues and organising digital records, every component was designed to make knowledge transfer practical and sustainable. The real value lies in what happens after the training: the knowledge officers preserve, the colleagues they develop and the institutional processes they strengthen,” he added.

Ogunmade noted that effective knowledge transfer should not be treated as an activity reserved for officers approaching retirement. Instead, it should become an integral part of organisational culture, with public servants routinely documenting processes, sharing lessons, mentoring colleagues and ensuring that critical information remains accessible to authorised personnel.

The programme’s emphasis on collaboration also highlighted the role of experienced officers as custodians of institutional wisdom and emerging leaders as the next generation of knowledge contributors. By making knowledge sharing a deliberate process, institutions can reduce dependence on individual memory and improve their ability to maintain operational consistency.

For Lagos State, equipping officers for future responsibilities involves more than professional training. It requires systems that support leadership succession, protect institutional memory and ensure that expertise acquired through years of public service continues to benefit the wider workforce.

As public institutions respond to changing demands and increasingly digital work environments, structured documentation, mentoring and knowledge-sharing practices can provide a stronger foundation for continuity, efficiency and sustainable service delivery.

The Legacy Knowledge Transfer Programme therefore represents an investment in both people and institutional capacity, reinforcing the principle that effective public service depends not only on what current officers know, but also on how well that knowledge is preserved and passed on.

By equipping 2,600 Grade Level 10–12 officers through three two-day training streams, the Lagos State Government is advancing a knowledge-sharing approach designed to prepare its workforce for tomorrow’s responsibilities while preserving the lessons of yesterday.

Ultimately, equipping today’s officers for tomorrow’s responsibilities is more than a training objective; it is an investment in institutional continuity, stronger leadership and the future of public service delivery.