Shettima urges institutional reforms to solve policy issues

Vice-President Kashim Shettima has emphasised the urgent need for institutional reforms as the key to solving most of Nigeria’s public policy challenges.

Speaking on Monday at the presentation of the draft National Public Policy Development and Management Framework at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Shettima said strengthening institutional frameworks could address 80 per cent of those challenges.

The framework was presented by the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, Hadiza Bala Usman, who explained that the federal government previously lacked a guiding document for policy conceptualisation.

He said ministries and agencies often worked in silos, resulting in overlapping and inconsistent policies that weakened public trust and investor confidence.

Shettima described the new policy framework as a long-overdue transformative approach to governance, calling for a national reset in how public policies were conceived, communicated, and implemented.

He lauded President Bola Tinubu’s experience and bold reforms, noting the importance of clear policy communication and consistent execution across all government levels.

Highlighting the role of e-governance and digitisation, Shettima stressed the need for data-driven policy execution and real-time monitoring.

He also called for enforceable consequences for non-performance, saying, “Implementation without accountability is lunacy.”

Drawing inspiration from former U.S. President Barack Obama, Shettima said Nigeria needed strong institutions guided by fair laws rather than reliance on strong individuals.

Hadiza Bala Usman added that the draft framework, developed through collaboration with multiple government bodies and experts, aimed to provide the clarity and coherence needed for effective policy management.