Implementing the Oronsaye Report, which aims to restructure the oversized public sector, aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda. This strategy seeks to restore fiscal discipline, enhance institutional efficiency, and unlock economic potential.

As Nigeria grapples with rising debt and inflation, the administration’s commitment to the Oronsaye Report reflects a dedication to transformative governance and sustainable development.

I emphasised the importance of fully implementing the Oronsaye Report at the start of Tinubu’s administration. Doing so is vital for reducing Nigeria’s governance costs and aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Commissioned in 2012 under President Goodluck Jonathan, the Oronsaye Report evaluated Nigeria’s oversized public sector.

It recommended reforms, including merging or scrapping 220 of 541 federal agencies, reducing statutory agencies from 263 to 161, and potentially saving over ₦862 billion between 2012 and 2015 through these measures.

In February 2024, President Tinubu advanced his Renewed Hope Agenda by ordering the implementation of a comprehensive report to enhance government efficiency.

This initiative aims to merge, scrap, or relocate redundant agencies, streamline operations, and redirect funds towards capital projects and social investments. It aligns with Tinubu’s focus on bold economic reforms, fiscal discipline, and effective governance.

Addressing the Oronsaye Report within the Renewed Hope Agenda is amplified by Nigeria’s current economic struggles, marked by high debt servicing and limited revenue. There is also a rising public demand for accountability and efficiency in government. Fortunately, advancements in digital governance tools provide a timely opportunity for reform.

The focus is on evaluating the implementation of the Oronsaye Report within the context of Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. Key considerations include effective monitoring, securing legislative support for structural changes, transparent communication with the public and civil servants, and supporting affected workers through redeployment or retraining.

At this stage, it is vital to develop an infographic or policy brief to summarize the Oronsaye Report’s key aspects and alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda.

This visual would highlight the benefits of completing the report by 2025 and emphasise a sustainable approach. Full implementation could provide significant advantages for Nigeria’s economic development and sustainability.

1. Fiscal Efficiency and Cost Reduction

Nigeria has one of the highest governance costs globally. The government can reduce recurrent expenditure by merging or eliminating redundant agencies, freeing funds for capital projects and social programs. This aligns with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which emphasises fiscal discipline and streamlined governance.

2. Reallocation of Resources to Development

Savings from reduced administrative costs can be invested in key areas like infrastructure, education, and healthcare. This funding can also support job creation and empower youth, promoting inclusive growth and addressing developmental gaps in underserved regions.

3. Improved Investor Confidence

A leaner, more efficient government in Nigeria is committed to reform and fiscal responsibility, which can attract foreign direct investment, improve credit ratings, and enhance public-private partnerships, all crucial for economic growth and stability.

4. Institutional Strengthening and Accountability

The government can achieve greater efficiency by eliminating overlapping mandates and streamlining operations. This would enhance service delivery, increase transparency and accountability, and reduce bureaucratic bottlenecks, leading to a more responsive government that better serves citizens.

5. Sustainability and Long-Term Reform

The Oronsaye Report represents a comprehensive reform, laying the groundwork for digital governance, performance-based budgeting, and sustainable management in the public sector.

6. Political Will and Reform Momentum

President Tinubu’s action to implement a long-neglected report is a commendable display of political will, potentially paving the way for essential reforms in taxation, energy, and the civil service.

The focus is on achieving a strong alignment between the comprehensive execution of the Report and Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, notably as the Administration marks two years into its first term. This synergy is crucial for realising the goals outlined in both initiatives.

Two years into President Tinubu’s first term, a notable synergy is developing between the full implementation of the Oronsaye Report and the Renewed Hope Agenda.

This collaboration appears to be strategic and transformative, highlighting how these initiatives align and reinforce each other in their efforts to advance the nation’s goals.

The Oronsaye Report and the Renewed Hope Agenda aim to enhance governance and efficiency in Nigeria.

The Oronsaye Report proposes significant reforms by merging or restructuring over 200 federal agencies to address duplication and inefficiency.

Oronsaye Report: Full List of Agencies, Commissions & Parastatals to be Scraped, Merged

Meanwhile, the Renewed Hope Agenda focuses on reducing corruption and improving public service delivery.

These initiatives streamline government operations, align with Tinubu’s vision for an accountable public sector, and ultimately bolster public trust.

The discussion on fiscal sustainability and economic reform underscores essential initiatives aimed at enhancing the economy’s financial stability.

A key element in this effort is the Oronsaye Report, which suggests measures to save billions in recurrent expenditures, thus allowing resources to be redirected towards vital development projects. In conjunction with this, the Renewed Hope Agenda focuses on economic stabilisation by tackling pressing issues such as removing fuel subsidies and unifying exchange rates.

These combined efforts are intended to avert fiscal collapse and establish a more stable economic landscape. The cost savings achieved through the Oronsaye reforms align seamlessly with broader economic reforms, creating a robust strategy to mitigate potential debt crises and control inflation.

Two significant initiatives underscore the focus on public trust and transparency. The Oronsaye Report enhances transparency within government operations by clarifying agencies’ roles and minimising bureaucratic overlap.

Meanwhile, the Renewed Hope Agenda aims to rebuild public trust through honest governance and visible reforms. Together, these efforts create a synergistic effect, as a transparent and efficient government structure fosters greater public confidence in Tinubu’s leadership.

The Long-Term Development and Sustainability section highlights two key initiatives to foster a sustainable administrative framework in Nigeria.

The Oronsaye Report establishes a foundation for this framework, while the Renewed Hope Agenda envisions a prosperous and inclusive Nigeria characterised by strong institutions and equitable growth.

The connection between these initiatives is crucial, as institutional reform is the backbone of sustainable development, making the Renewed Hope Agenda more than merely a vision.

The current moment is pivotal for the administration, two years into its tenure, as it has overcome initial resistance to challenging reforms such as subsidy removal. With this newfound political capital, there is an opportunity to pursue deeper structural changes. Additionally, public expectations are high, with citizens eager to see tangible results.

By implementing the Oronsaye Report, the administration can showcase its commitment to meaningful reform. This effort addresses domestic demands and Nigeria’s global standing, signalling to investors and international partners that the country is serious about driving change.

Conclusively, the Oronsaye Report and the Renewed Hope Agenda represent a crucial alignment in governance aimed at improving Nigeria’s operations.

This collaboration is set to streamline government functions, minimize waste, and redirect resources to vital sectors, paving the way for a more efficient and adaptable Nigeria under the Tinubu administration.

The reform goes beyond mere cost-cutting; it focuses on rebuilding public confidence, attracting investments, and strengthening institutions to fulfill the promise of national renewal.

As Tinubu’s first term progresses, the urgency for decisive action is apparent, making the comprehensive implementation of the Oronsaye Report both timely and transformative for the nation.

They are propelled by rapidly expanding internet access and steady broadband penetration, currently about 43 per cent.

Our digital economy is poised for significant growth, positively impacting various sectors and benefiting the nation through enhanced connectivity and digital skills.

Digital transformation is happening globally at a record pace. During the Covid-19 pandemic, for example, remote work and virtual collaboration tools took centre stage; platforms such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet became—and still are—essential for meetings, conferences and team collaboration.

eCommerce and online retail have transformed how consumers seamlessly order and receive goods and services.

Even traditionally brick-and-mortar businesses are changing the ways they engage with their customers through introduction of digital solutions to improve the customer experience.

It is a no-brainer that Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) are revolutionising our lives for the better, whether in education, healthcare delivery, living, public services, energy management, and much more.

Suffice to say, that underpinning this global digital transformation is the indispensable role of telecommunications infrastructure.

Universal, affordable, reliable and fast telecom services are becoming social rights, as mobile networks and data-centres form the backbone for digital transformation by enabling the storage and processing of large amounts of data as well as the integration of digital technologies into numerous use cases.

For President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Renewed Hope Agenda draws us all to a more promising outlook. Inherent in his agenda is the pledge to embolden and support the youth and women by harnessing emerging sectors such as the digital economy.

In delivering this vision, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani unveiled a blueprint appropriately titled – “Accelerating our Collective Prosperity through Technical Efficiency” with the goal of supporting Nigeria’s economic growth by enhancing productivity, facilitated by digital innovation.

Acknowledging the criticality of resilient telecommunications infrastructure to a robust digital economy, Dr. Tijani’s Strategic Agenda 2023 — 2027 sets targets to achieve a 50 per cent improvement in Quality of Service (QoS) by the end of 2024; to boost Nigeria’s broadband penetration rate to 70 per cent by the end of 2025; to deliver data download speed of 25Mbps in urban areas and 10Mbps in rural areas by the end of 2025; to provide coverage for, at least, 80 per cent of the country’s population, especially the underserved and unserved populations by the end of 2026; to reduce the gap of unconnected Nigerians in rural areas from 61 per cent to less than 20 per cent by 2027; and to secure between 300 per cent to 500 per cent increase in broadband investment by the end of 2027.

Drawing from the Strategic Agenda of the Ministry, Dr. Aminu Maida, the executive vice chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission, (NCC) has emplaced three Strategic Focus Areas for the Commission: The Consumers, the Industry and Licensees; and the Government.

Dr. Maida’s approach to delivering on President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda comes from the recognition that each of these stakeholders has a unique perspective and different, occasionally-paradoxical expectations of the Commission. His goal is to forge a path that carefully balances each stakeholder’s needs while meeting their expectations.

Consider the Consumers—who are central to Dr. Maida’s focus—for example. His approach focuses on ensuring that they receive an enhanced Quality of Experience, beyond the narrow and very technically-evaluated Quality of Service.

Quality of experience takes into account all touch points along the consumers journey in using telecom services from selection, through on boarding, usage, support and even off-boarding.

This means that, consumers are empowered to make the right network selection, enjoy a seamless onboarding into the network of their choice, enjoy quality service at fair costs, receive responsive customer service and enjoy protected off-boarding where they chose to leave the network.

To address consumer complaints on data depletion, the Commission has directed Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to conduct an independent audit of their billing systems and is concluding a consultation process to simplify tariff plans. These initiatives would provide enhanced transparency to the consumer.

The Commission, under Dr. Maida, rather than taking a national outlook on data collection for Quality-of-Service delivery, has adopted an approach where more granular data is collected from operators and analysed to determine quality of service at very small, local levels,  to allow the deployment of optimised solutions or regulatory actions where needed.

On the side of the Industry and Licensees of the Commission, Dr. Maida’s focus is aimed at forging a resilient industry and enhancing the delivery of regulatory services.

Since he came on board, the Commission has shown commitment to tackling industry debt issues more seriously. It has also embarked on critical advocacy initiatives to address long-term challenges in the sector, including advocacy for designating telecom infrastructure as Critical National Infrastructure, as well as successfully persuading over six states to waive Right of Way (RoW) fees, even as he initiates discussions with more states.

The Commission, under Dr. Maida’s leadership, is equally engaging with the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms towards addressing multiple taxation issues in the telecoms sector.

In order to ensure that the industry is in line with current realities, the Commission is also undertaking a review of its extant Regulatory Instruments and Licensing Frameworks.

For instance, Quality of Service Regulations have been reviewed to incorporate Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for 5G and other participants that are critical to the Quality of Service.

By achieving expected QoS KPIs, high-speed internet connectivity, and forging a resilient and innovative telecommunications industry, the Commission is actively supporting the Ministry’s vision of boosting economic growth and productivity through technological innovation, delivering on the promise of Renewed Hope for all Nigerians.