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When conversations about governance and policy in Nigeria arise, few names carry as much weight as Mr Andrew David Adejo. Across more than three decades in civil service, he has helped shape policies that touch education, poverty reduction, youth employment, and social protection.
Today, that same wealth of experience has found a home at Miva Open University, where he teaches the next generation of public administrators how to analyse and influence policy with impact.
In This Post
From Lecturing Dreams to Civil Service
Surprisingly, the academic path of Mr Andrew David Adejo began in the natural sciences. He earned a Second Class (Honours) Upper Division degree in Botany from the University of Jos, followed by an M.Sc. in Crop Science from the University of Maiduguri.
After completing his one-year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) at Muhammadu Kobo Senior Secondary School in Lapai, Niger State, Prof Andrew David Adejo took a step that would define the rest of his career; he joined the Federal Civil Service in 1988.
For Mr Andrew David Adejo, his dream was to be a lecturer—a geneticist—not a civil servant. But with the weight of responsibility for his family and at a time when civil servants were more financially secure than lecturers, he chose service over academia. What started as a reluctant step has now become a 34-year journey in the Nigerian civil service, marked by dedication, resilience, and impact.
His first posting took him far from the classrooms of Lapai to the dusty landscapes of Maiduguri, Borno State. There, at the Federal Department of Forestry Field Office, a department of the Federal Ministry of Environment, he was introduced to the practical side of governance. It was no longer about lectures or theory; it was about working with people, managing resources, and confronting the realities of environmental and development challenges.
Over time, he sought out further professional qualifications in project management, procurement, communications, results-based monitoring and evaluation, sustainable development, environmental management, and policy research, formulation, and analysis.
While he didn’t begin with an academic background in public administration, these specialised trainings bridged the gap, equipping him with the tools to engage with governance, policy design, and socio-economic service delivery at the highest levels.
Leadership, Impact, and the Person Behind the Policymaker
From his early years in civil service to his tenure as Permanent Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Education, Mr Andrew David Adejo has walked the corridors of power where critical national decisions are made. He helped steer reforms that continue to shape Nigeria’s education sector, bridging gaps between policy goals and the realities of implementation.
Beyond government, he worked with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Bank, contributing to reforms and social intervention systems that still impact millions of vulnerable Nigerians today.
Yet behind the accolades, including the national honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON), is a man driven by service, curiosity, and mentorship. In a 2023 Miva Masterclass, Mr Adejo urged students to see policy not as documents but as solutions to real problems: poverty, access to education, and preparing young people for the future of work.
His reflections revealed an administrator deeply committed to innovation, digitalisation, and the transformative power of education. His career is proof that integrity and expertise can shape governance at the highest levels, but also that the heart of policy is people.
His Role at Miva Open University
As Executive in Residence for MPA 8101: Public Policy Analysis and Professor of Practice for the Department of Public Policy and Administration, Mr Adejo bridges theory and practice for Miva students. He offers a perspective that goes beyond textbooks, explaining how policies are designed, negotiated, and implemented in real-world contexts. His lessons emphasise that policy is not just about documents but about people, trade-offs, and long-term impact.
Students gain not just knowledge but a mentor who has stood at the intersection of government, international development, and education reform. His presence ensures that MPA learners are not only studying policy but experiencing it through the eyes of someone who has shaped it at the highest levels.
Why It Matters for Students
For Miva students, studying under Mr Andrew David Adejo means gaining an insider’s view into how governments actually function. It’s a chance to bridge the gap between textbooks and reality, between academic models and lived governance. His guidance equips them not only to understand public policy but also to influence it, in education, health, or governance more broadly.
In a country and a continent where effective policies can transform millions of lives, having access to such mentorship is invaluable. Students graduate not just with knowledge, but with the confidence and clarity to step into policy roles that matter.
In Conclusion
The path from Nigeria’s policy rooms to Miva’s classrooms is not a common one, but it is the path Mr Andrew David Adejo has chosen. At Miva Open University, he turns decades of civil service into a living classroom, showing students that policy is not just theory but a tool for transformation.
For learners eager to influence governance, his presence is more than an academic advantage; it is a rare opportunity to be mentored by someone who has shaped policy at the highest levels. In Mr Adejo, students don’t just study public administration; they learn what it means to lead with vision, integrity, and impact.
Start your own Master of Public Administration journey at Miva Open University. Apply now.
