Institutional Rehabilitation of the Nigerian Public Service in Achieving National Development

The effectiveness of the public service is central to the achievement of national development, particularly in developing countries like Nigeria. This paper examines the need for institutional rehabilitation of the Nigerian public service in achieving sustainable development outcomes in the country. Within the framework of Weber’s Bureaucratic theory and the New Public Management (NPM) theory, the paper adopts a qualitative and descriptive approach, relying on secondary data source. The paper reveals that while Nigeria’s public service has the potentials to drive national development, its effectiveness is constrained by systemic challenges such as bureaucratic inefficiency, corruption, weak institutional frameworks, weak accountability mechanisms, and inadequate capacity. The paper concludes that the effectiveness of any state is largely determined by the capacity, integrity and responsiveness of its public institutions. Where the public service is characterized by professionalism, accountability and efficiency, it becomes powerful instrument for policy implementation, service delivery and socio-economic transformation. The suggested policy recommendations include; institutionalization of merit-based recruitment and promotion systems anchored on competence, transparency, and equal opportunity; sustained investment in capacity building and human capital development; an expanded digital public infrastructure that would ensure interoperability across ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs); redesigning of performance management systems to link individual and institutional outputs with national development goals; and strengthening accountability and anti-corruption mechanisms to reinforce the roles of oversight institutions among others.

Public Service, National Development, Reforms, Institutional Rehabilitation

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