Capacity Enhancement Strategies and Organizational Productivity in Nigeria's Civil Service. An Assessment of Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Education.

Capacity enhancement plays a vital role in human resource management by aligning employee performance with organizational objectives and driving overall productivity. In Akwa Ibom State, the Ministry of Education depends on strategic capacity-building initiatives to improve educational outcomes. Despite numerous government-led training programs, their effectiveness has been hampered by persistent challenges, including inadequate funding, irrelevant training content, limited access to resources, political interference, and the absence of performance evaluation mechanisms. Additional issues such as high staff turnover, a lack of institutional support, and poor retention of trained personnel further compromise the sustainability of capacity development efforts. This study, grounded in Gary Becker’s Human Capital Theory (1964), adopted a descriptive and documentary research design, integrating both quantitative and qualitative methods to assess the relationship between capacity enhancement and organizational productivity in the Ministry. Data were collected from primary sources through key informant interviews with ten senior personnel across departments, and from secondary sources including scholarly publications, government reports, and online materials. Data analysis involved thematic content analysis for qualitative insights and descriptive techniques for interpreting interview responses. Findings revealed that while capacity enhancement is recognized as a strategic necessity, its implementation remains inconsistent and under-resourced. Based on these insights, the study recommends the establishment of a legally backed training fund with dedicated annual budgetary allocations, the creation of a modern training institute for education personnel, and the institutionalization of inclusive and structured staff development policies. These measures are essential for bridging competence gaps, promoting equitable access to training, and improving productivity within the Ministry of Education.