Lessons from Service: A Reform Strategy for Stronger Public Institutions in Nigeria by Amb. Alabi Temitope Olumuyiwa

Nigeria’s developmental challenge is often seen as a problem of leadership. We often highlight strong men, bold leaders, and visionary figures. But through my years in public service, I have learned that strong individuals alone do not build nations. Lasting progress comes from strong institutions. Without them, even the best leaders will struggle to make a real, lasting difference.

What I share here comes from personal, hands-on experience from years of working within Nigeria’s public sector and seeing firsthand how policies and systems either succeed or fall short. Institutions should outlast any individual. They are the structures that keep policies working, maintain integrity, and earn the public’s trust. Sadly, in Nigeria, our institutions are often fragile and politicized, not because we lack structure, but because of what I call “political suffocation.” Reform is not just important; it’s urgent.

One of our biggest challenges is the ongoing confusion between politics and administration. Political leaders should set the direction, but decisions about recruitment, promotion, procurement, and enforcement really belong with career civil servants. When politics interferes with these processes, merit is pushed aside, morale drops, and institutions lose credibility. Over time, civil servants become cautious and transactional, and true professionalism suffers.

Closely linked to this is the erosion of merit. The most critical asset of any organization is its people, so Institutions rise or fall on the quality of their people. Recruitment and promotion systems that reward loyalty over competence hollow out organizations from within. Restoring merit-based processes, strengthening civil service commissions, and protecting professionals from arbitrary interference are essential steps toward rebuilding trust and effectiveness.

Another problem we keep facing is the lack of steady, consistent policies. Every time a new administration comes in, it often throws out existing policies, even if they work. This wastes resources, confuses everyone involved, and erases valuable experience. Strong institutions treat policies as national assets, they should review, improve, and build on them instead of starting from scratch for political reasons. Real development needs continuity, not endless change.

With these structural and policy challenges in mind, attention must also turn to governance and accountability systems. Many institutions possess codes of conduct, audit units, and oversight committees, yet if enforcement is weak, rules become meaningless. Only when boards and management committees operate independently, audit functions are empowered, and accountability is neutral and predictable, does trust flourish.

For any institution to work well, it needs stable finances and smooth operations. When budgets are delayed, approvals are politicized, or funding is uncertain, it’s hard to plan or deliver on set objectives. Giving institutions both responsibility and the resources they need empowers them focus on serving the public and not just getting by. True autonomy, along with accountability, leads to better performance.

Modern governance demands skills in policy analysis, data management, risk oversight, and stakeholder engagement. Institutions must prioritize continuous professional development, knowledge documentation, and structured succession planning. The government must improve and sustain investment in building capacity. We must run a service-wide, efficient knowledge management programme, so that when experienced staff exit, institutional knowledge is transferred efficiently.

Looking after public servants is also crucial. Good pay, on-time pensions, healthcare, and clear post-service benefits aren’t luxuries they’re what help maintain integrity and professionalism. If staff worry about their future after retirement, it’s harder for them to make tough, ethical choices. By strengthening welfare systems and making sure post-service benefits arrive promptly, we boost morale, reduce risk, and keep valuable experience in the system. When public servants are underpaid, society pays the price through poor performance, low morale, and a greater risk of unethical behavior.

Technology also plays a role. Beyond buying computer devices, digitization can improve transparency, reduce discretion, and enhance efficiency, but only when embedded within a culture of accountability. Technology cannot compensate for weak values, but when thoughtfully deployed, it supports policy enforcement, service delivery, and data-driven decision-making.

Finally, institutions need a special kind of leadership that is rooted in stewardship, not personal ambition. The best leaders focus on strengthening systems, mentoring successors, and ensuring things run smoothly even when they step down. Real success is measured by how well the organization does after the leader is gone, not by how visible the leader was.

Ultimately, Nigeria’s core challenge is not a lack of ideas or talented people, but the chronic neglect of structured institution-building. Strong institutions, not strong personalities, provide the continuity required for lasting progress; they create the conditions under which good governance becomes the norm rather than the exception.

As a retired public servant, I urge us to shift national focus from personalities to institutional processes. Prioritize planning, systemic reforms, and resilience over short-term measures and strongmen. Only by cultivating strong institutions can Nigeria achieve sustainable development and real progress.

About the Author:
Amb. Alabi Temitope Olumuyiwa is a retired senior public servant with decades of experience in governance, policy, and strategic management within Nigeria’s public sector. He holds global certifications such as PMP, CCMP, GRCP, and IPMP and is a thought leader in public sector reform and institutional strengthening.