- Says digitisation not genuine reform as technology alone could not fix broken systems
Emmanuel Addeh and James Emejo in Abuja
Chairman, Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation (AIG), Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, has said economic growth and public sector credibility depended largely on the quality, integrity and delivery capacity of the country’s civil service.
Speaking at the International Civil Service Conference 2026 on the theme, “Public–Private Collaboration for Service Delivery and Innovation” which concluded over the weekend in Abuja, he warned that corruption, weak accountability and inefficient bureaucracy remained major threats to effective governance and service delivery.
He also cautioned against mistaking digitisation for genuine reform, saying technology alone could not fix broken systems.
According to him, “Digitising a broken process can simply make dysfunction faster.”
Aig-Imoukhuede stressed that no nation could rise above the quality of its public service, describing the civil service as “the machinery through which the Republic acts.”
He said while politicians may set direction and investors provide capital, it is the civil service that converts national ambition into administrative reality, insisting that the country’s public institutions must become more disciplined, transparent, technology-driven and outcome-focused.
He said, “If the civil service is slow, the nation feels slow. If the civil service is confused, policy becomes confused. If the civil service is disciplined, government becomes credible.”
He added that reforming the civil service should no longer be treated as an internal government affair but as a national economic imperative critical to growth, investment attraction and citizen trust.
The former banking executive maintained that the country needed a “high-capacity delivery institution” capable of partnering with the private sector without compromising public purpose, transparency or accountability.
He warned that public-private partnerships must not become channels for exploitation, patronage or enrichment of contractors at the expense of citizens.
According to him, “A public-private collaboration that enriches vendors but does not improve citizens’ lives is not reform. It is failure dressed in modern language.”
Aig-Imoukhuede said both the public and private sectors must abandon old habits that weaken service delivery and embrace what he described as a new governance compact anchored on transparency, measurable outcomes and shared accountability.
He noted that government globally was under pressure to deliver faster and better services amid fiscal constraints and rising public expectations, adding that the private sector could support public institutions through technology, innovation, operational efficiency, project management discipline and customer-oriented systems.
However, he stressed that the private sector must approach government as a nation-building partner rather than merely a source of contracts and profits, adding that “government is not a customer to be exploited. Government is the trustee of public purpose”.
The business leader outlined key conditions required for successful public-private collaboration, including clarity of public purpose, strong government ownership of reforms, disciplined governance structures, capability transfer and measurable citizen impact.
He emphasised that reforms must focus on solving real public problems such as delays in passport issuance, poor healthcare logistics, weak procurement systems, inefficient tax administration and poor citizen feedback mechanisms.
According to him, government must move beyond measuring reform through workshops, meetings and memoranda, insisting that true reform should be measured by reduced waiting time, improved service reliability, lower leakages, increased citizen satisfaction and stronger revenue collection.
He advised government institutions to first simplify processes, strengthen governance frameworks and build institutional capacity before deploying technology solutions.
The foundation chairman further called for stronger procurement and contract management systems in the public sector, noting that many reforms fail not at the contract award stage but during implementation and post-award accountability.
He recommended deeper civil service capability in procurement planning, vendor management, performance monitoring and audit compliance.
On leadership, Aig-Imoukhuede said public sector transformation would only succeed if leaders at all levels demonstrated courage, accountability and commitment to measurable performance.
According to him, reform-minded leaders must be willing to simplify processes, publish results, hold contractors accountable and resist vested interests seeking to undermine reform efforts.
He further urged the civil service to become the “intelligent client of innovation,” capable of leading reforms confidently while ensuring that private sector participation does not weaken government institutions.
He identified practical areas for immediate collaboration between government and the private sector to include digital service portals, transparent payment and revenue systems, civil service capability academies, procurement management platforms, citizen feedback systems and technology-enabled healthcare and education delivery.
He maintained that Nigeria had no shortage of ideas, policy papers and reform plans, but lacked disciplined execution.
“The test of reform is not what we announce. The test of reform is what the citizen experiences,” he stressed.
Aig-Imoukhuede stressed that many of these reforms did not necessarily require huge capital investments but demanded discipline, coordination and effective execution.
He also described service delivery as a moral obligation, noting that governance failures hurt poor and vulnerable citizens the most because they depend heavily on public systems for healthcare, education, transportation and security, adding that “wealthy can find alternatives. But the ordinary citizen depends on public systems.”
He called on civil servants to lead reform efforts from within, he urged them not to view collaboration with the private sector as a threat but as an opportunity to strengthen public institutions and improve service delivery outcomes.
He said the civil service must insist on transparency, protect public interest, demand measurable performance and institutionalise reforms that outlive political administrations.
He equally challenged the private sector to bring ethics, patient capital and long-term solutions into public sector partnerships rather than pursuing quick profits and weak accountability arrangements.
