The Administrative Staff College of Nigeria was established by the Federal Government through Decree No. 39 of 1973 (Now ASCON Act, Cap. 6, Vol. 1 LFN 2004) as the principal organ for sustainable human capacity development in both the public and private sectors of the Nigeria economy with the following specific objectives :
Provide higher management training for development of Senior Executives for public and private sectors of the Nigerian economy;
Provide and arrange for a comparative study and investigation of the principles and techniques of management and administration, and for exchange of ideas and experience and for promotion of better understanding between persons connected with management and administration arising in different spheres of national life;
Undertake, organize, facilitate study courses, conferences, lectures, seminars and the like and to promote the aforesaid objectives; and
Conduct research into problems of management and administration arising in different spheres of national life;
Establish and maintain a library;
Award grants, scholarships of travel fellowship to research in public administration and allied subjects;
Undertake and provide for the publication of journals and research papers and books in furtherance of the aforesaid objectives.