Ethical Leadership in Public Administration: Balancing Public Trust and Bureaucratic Efficiency in Nigeria

Abstract

Ethical leadership is increasingly valued as an inherent component of good quality governance, even more so in public administration where the decisions bear enormous implications for society. The emphasis of this article is to investigate the role played by ethical leadership in mediating between two main objectives of public administration: to establish public trust and enhance the performance of bureaucrats. The research investigates the impact of ethical leadership on organisational behavior, employees' performance, public mindset, and organisational performance. Based on a qualitative methodology, the study makes inferences from empirical studies, theoretical literature, and policy documents in an endeavor to examine the integration of principles of ethical leadership into administrative systems. It brings out the advantages of ethical leadership, including transparency, accountability, and efficiency of operations, while also recognizing challenges brought about by political interference, weak institutional arrangements, and lack of enforcement mechanisms. The findings are that institutionalization of ethical leadership results in better governance outcomes by building a culture of trust and performance. The article concludes by making policy suggestions to policymakers, administrators, and institutions engaged in leadership training for the purpose of integrating ethical