Oronsanye Report: How civil servants, politicians’ push back denies Nigeria of desired growth

…As FG dithers on implementation

…Retains cost centres, moribund institutions

For decades, Nigeria’s civil service, the heartbeat of governance, has remained stuck in an age of inefficiency, corruption, and bureaucratic inertia. Reform efforts have repeatedly hit a wall of resistance, leaving public services stagnant and undermining national development.

At its core lies a deeply entrenched culture of mediocrity and resistance to change, one that perpetuates a dysfunctional system incapable of meeting the demands of a growing population.

Yet, the stakes are high. A reformed civil service isn’t just a governance ideal; it’s a national necessity.

The civil service is a nation’s engine room, where policies are implemented, public services delivered, and development plans executed. For Nigeria, an effective civil service could mean functioning hospitals, modern infrastructure, and an efficient tax system. Instead, years of corruption and inefficiency have eroded public trust and stifled growth.

“The civil service has become a safe haven for mediocrity and unaccountability,” says Abiola Ibrahim, a governance reform advocate. “Attempts to introduce transparency are often sabotaged internally and externally because they threaten the status quo.”

When the system itself resists reform, what hope is there for meaningful progress?

Read also: Oronsaye report: Nigeria needs root-and-branch reconstruction

Preserving the status quo

Every attempt to reform the Nigerian civil service has been met with fierce opposition. This resistance stems from a fear of job losses, reduced control, or exposure of corrupt practices. From top officials to rank-and-file workers, the pushback ensures the system remains inefficient.

Take the Oronsaye Report of 2012, for instance. The report recommended merging ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) to reduce duplication and waste, potentially saving trillions of naira. Yet, over a decade later, successive governments have failed to implement its recommendations. Why? Those who benefit from the bloated structure refuse to let go of their privileges.

Efforts to introduce technology face similar resistance. The Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) uncovered thousands of ghost workers, saving the government billions of naira. But it didn’t happen without a fight. To this day, some government employees, such as the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), remain outside the system, citing concerns over its implementation.

Even promotions within the civil service are plagued by nepotism, ethnicity, and political influence. Rather than being based on merit, they are dictated by connections, sidelining qualified individuals in favor of the well-connected.

“The Federal Character Principle, which was meant to ensure fair representation, has been abused,” said Ibrahim. “It has become a tool for rewarding loyalty rather than ensuring competence.”

The cost of resistance

The impact of this resistance is far-reaching. Inefficiency in the civil service not only delays public service delivery but also erodes public trust in government institutions.

“My biggest challenge in service was workers’ resistance to reforms,” said Folasade Yemi-Esan, the immediate past head of service, during her retirement dinner. “Convincing them to accept a better way of doing things was a mountainous challenge. You know the initial reaction to anything new is resistance. To convince civil servants to accept our reforms was a big challenge.”

When civil servants resist reforms, it undermines governance and stifles development. Corruption and inefficiency breed public mistrust, discouraging citizens from engaging with government policies. This vicious cycle weakens democratic processes and hampers economic growth.

“Change is something that is not easy for anybody to accept,” said Peter Esele, the former president of the Trade Union Congress (TUC). “Most reforms that we carry out in Nigeria are mostly to punish. So if the civil servants believe that this reform is going to be a punishment, then you have to give them a sweetener.”

“Union leaders will not be against anything that would enhance the productivity and overall well-being of workers in particular and Nigeria in general,” the ex-president of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) said.

This inertia is not unique to Nigeria, but other countries have found ways to overcome it.

Learning from success: Rwanda’s case study

Under President Paul Kagame, Rwanda has transformed its civil service into a model of efficiency. Sweeping reforms introduced digitalised government services, performance-based evaluations, and streamlined processes. Today, Rwanda’s e-government platform, Irembo, allows citizens to access over 100 public services online, significantly reducing delays and corruption.

What sets Rwanda apart is its combination of strong political will, public engagement, and accountability mechanisms. These reforms didn’t just punish inefficiency; they incentivised excellence, earning buy-in from civil servants.

Reform advocates stress that political will is the ultimate game-changer. “Reforms cannot succeed without the backing of top leadership,” Ibrahim says. “The president and governors must prioritize civil service reform and be ready to face resistance head-on.”

Breaking the grip of resistance requires more than policy recommendations; it demands decisive action. Stakeholder engagement, incentives for compliance, and lessons from successful reforms in other countries can pave the way.

The pushback from civil servants and politicians has kept Nigeria’s government services in the dark ages. But the future of governance, and the trust of millions of Nigerians, depends on the courage to confront this challenge head-on.

Will the government rise to the occasion, or will the status quo prevail? The answer will define the trajectory of Nigeria’s development for decades to come.