The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has highlighted inconsistency and lack of coordination as major barriers to effective policy management in Nigeria.
Speaking at the validation session for the Draft National Policy Development and Management Framework in Abuja on Tuesday, Akume warned that fragmentation across government institutions is stalling national progress.
“For years, one of the recurring challenges of policy management in Nigeria has been the lack of coherence and consistency. This has led to inefficiencies that hinder the implementation of interventions meant to accelerate national progress,” Akume stated.
The SGF pointed to duplication and misalignment among ministries, departments, and agencies as obstacles to governance efficiency. He stressed that without a unified and strategic approach, even the most well-intentioned policies would struggle to yield tangible results.
To tackle these challenges, Akume announced that the Tinubu administration is instituting a structured and institutionalized framework for policy formulation, implementation, and evaluation. The proposed framework, he explained, aligns with international best practices while being deeply rooted in Nigeria’s governance realities.
“Policymaking is not a theoretical exercise; it is a practical governance tool. It must not only define priorities but also provide clear implementation pathways, assign institutional responsibilities, and establish mechanisms for tracking impact,” he emphasized.
Akume underscored the importance of strategic coordination, institutional synergy, and policy coherence, assuring that his office was committed to harmonizing national policies for more effective governance.
The validation session, he noted, is a crucial step in refining the framework into a lasting instrument that ensures policies are data-driven, aligned with national objectives, and responsive to the country’s evolving needs. He urged policymakers, technocrats, development partners, and civil society organizations to actively participate in shaping the framework so it moves beyond a theoretical document to an actionable governance tool.
“As we refine this framework, we move closer to institutionalizing a governance culture where policies seamlessly translate into tangible outcomes for all Nigerians,” Akume added.
Also speaking at the session, the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, Hadiza Bala Usman, reiterated the administration’s commitment to closing long-standing gaps in Nigeria’s policy ecosystem.
She identified key challenges, including policy inconsistency, unclear formulation and implementation processes, and the absence of a unified standard across government institutions.
“A review of Nigeria’s existing policy landscape revealed significant gaps—inconsistencies in policy structure, policy overlaps, limited coordination, and challenges in implementation and monitoring,” Usman stated.
“These challenges often undermine the effectiveness of otherwise well-intentioned policies and hinder the achievement of national goals. This framework is, therefore, our collective response: a tool designed to address these gaps, clarify roles and processes, and create a more coherent, streamlined, and effective approach to policymaking.”
