In a major governance overhaul, President Bola Tinubu has directed the full implementation of the long-dormant Stephen Oronsaye report, targeting a leaner, more efficient federal bureaucracy by dissolving, merging, or relocating numerous government agencies.
At a Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in Abuja, the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, announced that Tinubu approved the restructuring, saying some agencies will be eliminated, others subsumed under existing ministries, and sections merged to reduce duplication and cut costs.
Under the initiative, Nigeria is set to reduce its estimated 541 agencies down to around 161 entities, marking a sweeping contraction of the federal parastatal landscape . Specific changes include:
Abolitions: Agencies like the National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC) will be scrapped, with functions transferred to the Federal Ministry of Education; the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate will fold into the Ministry of Finance.
Mergers and Subsumptions: The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) will merge with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC); the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) will combine with the Refugees Commission (NCFRMI); regulatory bodies like NCC, NBC, and NIPOST will form a unified Communications Regulatory Authority of Nigeria.
Relocations: Agencies like the Niger Delta Power Holding Company will move under the Ministry of Power, while others—including the National Blood Service and Nigerians in Diaspora Commission—will shift to more fitting ministries.
Stakeholder response: Proponents applaud the measure as a pivotal step in reducing bureaucratic bloat and improving fiscal discipline. “This administration is showing resolve to optimize public resources,” said a policymaker familiar with the reforms.However, critics warn that the upheaval may sideline agency-specific mandates and delay service delivery as responsibilities are transferred or merged.
Implications & Outlook: Observers expect immediate fiscal relief as recurrent expenditure obligations shrink. The success of the restructuring hinges on how seamlessly the transitions occur—especially regarding staff integration, fund re-allocations, and legal enactments. The government has reportedly set a 12-week timeline for full implementation, led by Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume .Should the reforms proceed smoothly, Nigeria could emerge with a leaner, more cost-efficient federal apparatus—a critical signal to investors and donors alike.
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