In recent decades, efforts by governments and development institutions to address problems in the informal public transport (IPT) industry in Sub-Saharan African cities have focused on a relatively limited set of measures. These measures have typically centred on formalising, replacing or displacing IPT, rather than on working with the industry for improved and better integrated services. There is, however, a need to work across both the formalise-replace-displace and improve-integrate paradigms to effect lasting change. This will require a mindset shift, which can be facilitated by appropriately framed and targeted capacity building initiatives. In the course of 2024, through Codatu’s network and with support from the VREF, the authors interviewed 10 government officials working with IPT in the region on their experiences of such capacity building initiatives. During these engagements, the officials were asked to identify IPT-related issues, actions and government capacities to which capacity building initiatives did or were intended to respond. The exchanges then delved into experiences of capacity building initiatives in which they and colleagues in their government units had participated. Their views on opportunities and gaps in the current offer of capacity building activities and resources were also explored.