In a move to streamline policy formulation and deployment across various sectors, the federal government has constituted a special committee tasked with reviewing and harmonising sectoral policies in Nigeria.
The committee, inaugurated by the Special Adviser to the President on Policy Coordination, Hajiya Hadiza Bala Usman, comprises representatives from key agencies including the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), the Office of the vice president, and other stakeholders.
Addressing journalists after the inauguration ceremony, Bala Usman, who chairs the committee, explained that the initiative aims to address the lack of interrelationship and coherence across policies governing different sectors. She stated that outdated sectoral policies need to be reviewed to align with the current realities and the federal government’s eight presidential priorities.
“The federal government has deemed it fit to constitute this team that will look at how sectoral policies will be reviewed, how they will be coordinated, with enhanced collaboration across sectors,” Bala Usman said.
The committee will work closely with ministries, agencies, and subject matter experts to enhance policy deployment and formulation processes. By engaging stakeholders, the team intends to develop updated sectoral policies that speak to the nation’s needs and priorities.
Professor Ayo Omotayo, director general of NIPSS, assured that the institute, Nigeria’s highest think-tank, will collaborate with other agencies to deliver a workable plan for harmonised policy development. He acknowledged that the lack of coordination among ministries, departments, and agencies has been a major challenge in policy formulation and implementation.
“NIPSS, together with other collaborating agencies, will deliver to the nation a workable plan, develop an implementation framework, such that policies in Nigeria will no longer contradict themselves,” Omotayo stated.
The Special Adviser revealed that the committee aims to wrap up its work on updating priority sectoral policies within the next 12 to 18 weeks.
Other members of the committee include representatives from the Office of the vice president, NIPSS research personnel, and a retired permanent secretary.
The committee’s formation underscores the federal government’s commitment to addressing policy inconsistencies and ensuring coherence across sectors for effective governance and development.
