Peterside seeks stronger institutions for effective governance

Dr. Dakuku Peterside, former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), argues that Nigeria's persistent development challenges are rooted in the failure of its institutions to effectively implement policies and translate leadership and resources into tangible outcomes. He asserted that the country possesses ample policies and reform initiatives but lacks the institutional capacity to execute them.

Delivering a lecture at the Athena-Anchoria Junior Fellowship Programme, Peterside highlighted that institutions and policy frameworks dictate the exercise of power, resource distribution, and public service delivery. "Where institutions are weak, citizens bear the cost. Where they are strong, responsive and capable, ordinary people can achieve extraordinary things," he stated. He identified "isomorphic mimicry", copying successful models from other countries without adapting them to local contexts, as a primary reason for reform failures. This often results in superficial compliance rather than genuine performance improvement.

Another significant challenge Peterside pointed out is "premature load-bearing," where complex reforms are introduced before institutions possess the necessary skills, systems, funding, and operational maturity. He likened this to expecting a building to support weight before its foundation is laid. To counter these issues, Peterside proposed a problem-driven iterative adaptation approach. This method involves starting with specific problems, testing potential solutions, learning from implementation, and scaling interventions that demonstrate success.

Sustainable reforms, Peterside emphasized, require broad coalitions of political, technical, and civic champions, supported by the rule of law, professional competence, digitalization, decentralized governance, and active citizen participation. He stressed the importance of extending reform efforts beyond the federal capital, Abuja, and the commercial hub, Lagos, to reach states, local governments, and communities where citizens have the most direct interaction with government.

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Where institutions are weak, citizens bear the cost. Where they are strong, responsive and capable, ordinary people can achieve extraordinary things.