Ugboma, Patricia N.;
(2025)
Exploring the role of public sector dynamic capabilities for development in Nigeria.
Doctoral thesis (Ph.D), UCL (University College London).
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Abstract
Theories on economic development differ, with some emphasising the role of institutions. This study posits that development cannot happen without public organisations investing in dynamic capabilities. While private sector dynamic capabilities have been assessed, those in the public sector have been underexplored, especially in Africa. The study seeks to address this gap with the main research question that explores how relevant public sector dynamic capabilities are built, deployed, and sustained to create public value for citizens in Nigeria. It considers context as key whilst applying Western theories in African case studies. The study’s focus is on the role of the state in shaping markets, contrasting with the predominant economic orthodoxy of the state as fixing market failures. It uses Mazzucato’s ROAR framework as an analytical tool to examine ‘Routes’ – the state’s role in setting direction, ‘Organisations’ – public sector organisations’ abilities to develop and solve societal problems, ‘Assessment’ – how public organisations are evaluated, and ‘Risks and Rewards’ – the process of sharing risks and rewards across social actors. The study uncovers the dynamic capabilities of five successful Nigerian public agencies involved in challenge-led approaches to solving societal problems namely: Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Bank of Industry (BOI), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS,) and Lagos State Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget (LSMEPB). Sixty interviews with highly knowledgeable respondents reveal that these organisations act in entrepreneurial capacities by performing market-shaping roles, such as aiding investments, collaboratively solving societal problems and creating public value in their various ecosystems. The study's key contribution is the operationalisation of the ROAR framework in the Nigerian context by linking public sector dynamic capabilities to public value created. It also contributes to policy and practice with the extended taxonomy of dynamic capabilities in Nigeria and the nuanced argument on how investment in dynamic public sector capabilities should be made an integral component of both public and development policy for public value creation. These capabilities are especially necessary in today’s highly volatile and fast-paced world. Additionally, the study identifies enablers and inhibitors to developing, deploying and sustaining these public sector capabilities.
| Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Qualification: | Ph.D |
| Title: | Exploring the role of public sector dynamic capabilities for development in Nigeria |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | Copyright © The Author 2025. Original content in this thesis is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) Licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/). Any third-party copyright material present remains the property of its respective owner(s) and is licensed under its existing terms. Access may initially be restricted at the author’s request. |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of the Built Environment UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of the Built Environment > Inst for Innovation and Public Purpose |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10214373 |
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