ABSTRACT
The contemporary practice of public administration in Africa has evolved from pre-colonial traditions, colonial influences, and post-independence experience. The organization and conduct of public administration since independence have been shaped in important ways by regime change, political culture and pressures, external influences and approaches, and reform efforts. This chapter describes the principal developments in Nigerian public bureaucracy, from its colonial origin through the late 1980s. In Plateau State, authorities laid off all public employees initially hired in 1982 and 1983 and made retirement compusory for staff 50 years of age and older. Military leaders often based appointment to top public service posts at the federal and state level on personal friendship and other subjective criteria. The emergence of a powerful executive office of the president/governor constitutes an important development in the upper reaches of Nigerian public administration. The "federal character" clause has exerted a discernable impact on Nigerian public administration.
