Accidental public servant

The Accidental Public Servant is the memoir of Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, a Nigerian technocrat and politician, chronicling his unexpected journey into public service. Trained as an engineer and management consultant, El-Rufai never initially set out to become a politician, but circumstances drew him into government roles where he became a key reformer.

The book traces his rise from private practice to national prominence, particularly his tenure as Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), where he spearheaded privatization and reforms, and later as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), where he implemented often controversial policies on land administration, urban planning, and restoring Abuja’s master plan.

El-Rufai offers insider accounts of Nigeria’s power struggles, exposing corruption, political intrigues, and the challenges of governance in a system resistant to change. He details his working relationship with Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, as well as his role in the reform agenda of the Obasanjo administration.