..as FG develops policy framework for standard governance
The Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, Hadiza Bala Usman, asserted that the nation’s development efforts over time have been hampered by significant gaps, including inconsistencies in policy structure, policy overlaps, limited coordination, and challenges in implementation and monitoring.
This comes as the Federal Government has developed a national policy development and management framework aimed at ensuring policy coherence and setting a standard for good governance in Nigeria.
Usman, who is the Head, Central Results Delivery Coordination Unit, spoke on Tuesday in Abuja at the stakeholders validation session of the draft National Policy Development and Management Framework.
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She noted that the development of the policy framework was driven by a clear and pressing need, saying a “review of Nigeria’s existing policy landscape revealed significant gaps—inconsistencies in policy structure, policy overlaps, limited coordination, inadequate clarity around formulation and implementation processes, and the absence of unified standards across government institutions and challenges in implementation and monitoring.”
She maintained that these identifiable 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 for a more coherent, streamlined, and effective approach to policymaking,” she said.
Usman highlighted the unwavering commitment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu towards strengthening institutional frameworks and positioning public policy as a driving force for national development.
She added that the President Tinubu government is actively addressing the long-standing gaps within the policy ecosystem, recognising that sound policymaking is central to good governance.
“The Draft National Policy Development and Management Framework is a timely and strategic response to these challenges.
“It provides much-needed clarity, structure, and coherence, enabling policies to be developed with intent, implemented with discipline, and evaluated for real impact.
“Therefore, the development and validation of this framework represents a key milestone in our ongoing efforts to institutionalize effective governance processes and ensure that public policies translate into real, measurable benefits for the Nigerian people.
“This validation session is a concrete step towards institutionalising a governance culture that is adaptive, coordinated, and ultimately transformative. It affirms the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration’s understanding that achieving sustainable national development requires not only bold ideas but also the frameworks to translate those ideas into action,” she stated.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, corroborated the position of Hadiza Bala Usman, saying that over the years, one of the recurring challenges of policy management in Nigeria has been the lack of coherence and consistency across ministries, departments, and agencies.
He added that policy fragmentation, duplication, and misalignment have often resulted in inefficiencies, slowing down the implementation of critical interventions that should otherwise accelerate national progress.
“This Draft National Policy Development and Management Framework is a bold step towards addressing these challenges. It offers a systematic approach to policy formulation, implementation, and evaluation—one that is informed by international best practices, yet deeply rooted in the Nigerian context,” Akume said.
The validation meeting attracted top government officials, development partners, civil society organizations and the media. The draft new policy framework has undergone various stages of development in the last 16 months.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and Speaker, House of Representatives, Honourable Tajudeen Abbas who where represented at the event, said the policy framework was crafted to represent the 8-point agenda of President Tinubu, noting that policy is the hallmark of every responsible government.
The Director General of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) Prof. Ayo Omotayo, said the validation exercise highlights the commitment of stakeholders to eliminate the challenges of policy overlaps while ensuring that policies do not contradict themselves.
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