Nonny Patricia Ugboma has reaffirmed her commitment to strengthening public sector capability development in Africa following a visit to the UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose (IIPP).

Ugboma, a former Chief Executive Officer of the MTN Nigeria Foundation, described the visit as a meaningful return to an institution she said has played a significant role in her academic and professional journey since completing her Master of Public Administration programme and later pursuing her doctoral studies.

During the visit, she presented a bound copy of her doctoral thesis, titled “Exploring the Role of Public Sector Dynamic Capabilities for Development in Nigeria,” to renowned economist and IIPP Founding Director Mariana Mazzucato, who supervised her research.

According to Ugboma, discussions during the meeting focused on potential collaborations involving African countries, including Nigeria, within the institute’s expanding work on capability indices and public value creation.

She noted that the discussions align closely with her long-standing interest in mission-oriented innovation policy and strengthening institutional capacity for development across the public sector.

The visit comes ahead of Ugboma’s graduation ceremony next month, marking the completion of her PhD programme at University College London.

Her research contributes to ongoing global conversations on how governments can build stronger institutional capabilities to drive sustainable development, innovation, and effective public service delivery.