Nigeria addresses bureaucratic delays in governance and keeps MDAs within measurable performance targets

Nigeria addresses bureaucratic delays in governance and keeps MDAs within measurable performance targets

From our journalist

Abuja (Core Reporters) – Nigeria’s government is moving to bind ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to measurable performance targets under a new framework designed to reduce bureaucratic delays, eliminate overlapping regulatory demands and make the government more responsive to businesses and investors.

The Honorable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, announced this on Thursday at a strategic meeting with heads of agencies and senior government officials at the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja.

Oyedele said the next phase of Nigeria’s economic reforms must go beyond stabilizing the economy and address the daily frustrations that businesses encounter in their dealings with government.

He stressed that agencies need to make it easier, not harder, for businesses to operate, invest and expand.

To achieve this, he called on agencies to stay within their statutory mandates and eliminate duplicative requirements, multiple fees and unnecessary procedures that increase operating costs.

The Minister outlined a “One Government” approach under which MDAs would coordinate their activities rather than leaving businesses and other applicants to deal with competing requests from different institutions.

Where mandates overlap, he said, the focus should be on one lead agency, one process and one fee.

Oyedele also urged agencies to consult stakeholders before introducing new regulations, assess the economic implications of proposed measures, coordinate with other relevant institutions and give reasonable notice before major policy or regulatory changes take effect.

On public finance, Oyedele directed the agencies to promptly and fully remit all revenue owed to government, transfer operating surpluses to the Consolidated Revenue Fund and submit audited accounts as required by law.

He said the agency’s performance will be judged on outcomes, including how quickly services are delivered, whether published timelines are met and whether regulatory processes become less costly for businesses.

The Minister made clear that the Ministry of Finance will be required to meet the same expectations, recognizing that the government also faces internal obstacles such as slow approvals, delayed releases and outdated rules.

As a next step, the Ministry will review proposals from participating agencies and provide specific feedback within four to six weeks.

The draft framework will then be circulated for further consultation, with each agency expected to accept measurable commitments whose implementation will be reviewed periodically.

The initiative aims to make public institutions more accountable for the quality and speed of their services, while creating a regulatory environment where businesses can spend less time on government procedures and more time investing, expanding and creating jobs.