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OBJECTIVE COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PAST AND PRESENT ADMINISTRATIONS: ENUGU STATE EXAMPLE.

Published

6 years ago

September 14, 2020

By Jeff Ejiofor

Performance in governance is among other things, determined by the personal creative ingenuity of the leaders and the resources available to them. In a developing economy like ours, uncertainty is the bane of long term planning when it comes to governance.

The socio-political cum economic uncertainty has made it inconsequential to compare administrations and their performances in Nigeria nay Enugu state. When several factors such as revenue generation, federal subvention, and the strength of our local currency are considered, the inequality inherent in the system will make it absolutely untenable to compare administrations objectively. It is implicit to categorically state that revenue generation and cost of governance are critical determinants of the performance of any administration.

Consequently, looking at the comparative profile of the past and present regimes in Enugu state, the odds and opportunities available to each of them are clear. While this is not intended to emphasize excuses for anybody, it is imperative to note with objective recognition, the disparity in the cost of governance vis a vis the funds available as well as the prevailing exchange rate at any given time.

This is no doubt a major and indispensable factor in assessing the performance of various governments. For the purpose of this article, we will limit our assessment to the current democratic experiment which commenced in 1999. We will also look at Nigeria’s economic dynamics between the days of excess crude earnings and now that recession has driven the oil price to its lowest ebb.

Unarguably, the state of Nigeria’s economy is determined by the international oil market considering that earnings from crude oil account for 95 percent of the country’s foreign revenue generation. As a result of this fact, Nigeria, between 2007 and 2015 when the oil boom was experienced had a robust economy and enormous resources for developmental projects.

In Enugu state, for instance, the situation was not different. While those in government between 2007 and 2015 had enormous resources to bankroll developmental projects and other aspects of governance, handlers of government from 2015 to date have to look inwards and employ extra administrative acumen and dexterity to keep the economy of the state afloat to be able to carry on with the business of governance. It is on record that since the inception of Nigeria as an independent country, the external revenue base has not experienced the kind of drought currently being faced.

A lot of factors are responsible for this, and they range from global economic recession to reduced demand for crude oil by Nigeria’s major buyer, the United States of America whose shale oil fills the gap. This situation no doubt affects the economy of states within the Nigerian federation which includes Enugu state.

Another important factor orchestrating this economic inequality between the past and present administrations is the strength of our local currency at the foreign exchange market. The depreciation of the naira, our local currency at the international market is a great determining factor of our capacity as a people to affect economic activities in our society.

In 2015 when the current regime took over power, a dollar was going for #160 but today a dollar is #420. Those who understand the role of currency in international trade will know the difference in the cost of governance and other dynamics of economic development.

Expectedly, the cost implication of this on governance will be overwhelmingly high with definite exertions of pressure on the system. For example, a one-kilometer road which would have ordinarily taken #1m to construct will cost as much as #3m today judging from the prevailing exchange rate. Can we now see the dilemma of the present office holders when compared with the past?

When people are making comparative analysis and drawing conclusions, they often fail to consider the above undercurrents. This is indeed a major odd that should not be ignored for any reason because of its enormity in affecting the overall performance of any government. This is indeed capable of shaping the performance or otherwise of any regime.

Apparently, these identified barometers should form the basis of rating past and present administrations in Enugu state. It is absolutely subjective to disregard this important aspect of governance when drawing comparisons among previous and present public officeholders. For example, most state governments are currently grappling with the burden of paying salaries because of the present economic condition while that was not an issue In the past considering the huge resources at their disposal because of oil boom.

It is a common knowledge that crude oil which sold for 120 dollars per barrel before 2015 now goes for less than 40 dollars a barrel, and it certainly has a ripple effect on government spending capacity. In short, it suffices to say that finance is the bedrock of government activities with regard to the overall appropriation of developmental projects and other policies affecting the people’s welfare.

Finally, we would conclude by asking some pertinent questions as follows;

1, what is the rationale behind the comparison of two people given the same assignment but without equal opportunities and resources?

2, what is the wisdom in comparing a government with a better economic environment as well as the cost of governance and the one with a harsher and higher environment and cost of governance respectively?

The answer to the above questions is obvious. Whereas it required little or no skills to pilot the affairs of government in the recent past because of the enormous resources available then, it currently needs administrative ingenuity and extra efforts to paddle the canoe of governance in the face of unprecedented economic quagmire prevalent today.

It is mainly out of severe ignorance that people compare administrations, past and present without objective consideration of the inherent economic disparity between or among them. It takes critical objective analysis to unravel the real differences between governments before an informed conclusion can be made.

Even with all these, coupled with inherited huge debt profile, the current Enugu state government under the able leadership of Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has employed deft political sagacity and economic wizardry to brave the odds, sustain the economic tempo, and maintain a high level of performance to the chagrin of informed minds. It is this ingenuity that took Enugu state’s internally generated revenue to an enviable height of #32 billion annually, making it one of the six states in Nigeria today that can survive without federal allocation.

Believe it or not, Ugwuanyi is outperforming most of his contemporaries across Nigeria today and will have the upper hand if rated on a holistic ratio basis with his predecessors. This assertion is verifiable with the application of an acceptable performance index.

Enugu is in the hands of God.

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Strategic Partnerships, Diaspora Investment and Improved Workforce Critical to Industrialization-DG RMRDC

Published

14 hours ago

November 12, 2026

The Gleamer

By: Stella Azi and Adaora Adibe

The Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Prof. Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, has called for a strategic shift from the exportation of raw commodities to domestic processing, manufacturing and value addition, declaring that Nigeria possesses enormous untapped raw material resources capable of driving industrialisation, creating jobs and strengthening the country’s economic competitiveness.

Prof. Ike-Muonso made this submission in a lecture titled Unlocking Nigeria’s Raw Material Value Chain for Industrialization, Manufacturing and Competitiveness, where he presented an extensive assessment of Nigeria’s resource endowments, industrial challenges and emerging investment opportunities across agricultural commodities, solid minerals and waste-based raw materials.

The lecture highlighted a combined US$2.65 trillion global market opportunity across 30 major raw material value chains, comprising 12 agricultural value chains valued at US$932 billion, 11 mineral value chains worth US$1.352 trillion and seven circular-economy value chains estimated at US$366 billion.

According to the RMRDC Boss, Nigeria must move beyond the traditional approach of extracting and exporting raw materials to building competitive domestic industries that transform these resources into intermediate products, industrial inputs and finished goods for local consumption and international markets.

He observed that the country’s manufacturing sector has struggled to sustain its 2014 peak, with its contribution to real Gross Domestic Product declining from 9.64 per cent in 2014 to 8.05 per cent in 2025, representing a 16.5 per cent decline. He also drew attention to the increasing cost of raw material imports, which rose to US$20.5 billion in 2025, approximately six times the 2020 level.

He explained that the growing dependence on imported industrial inputs exposes Nigerian manufacturers to foreign exchange volatility, increases production costs and weakens the competitiveness of locally manufactured products.

Prof. ke-Muonso stressed that the solution lies in developing domestic raw material value chains through deliberate investment in processing facilities, research and development, technology, infrastructure and stronger linkages between producers, processors and manufacturers.

He identified agriculture, solid minerals and industrial waste as three major resource platforms for Nigeria’s industrial transformation, stating the country’s significant production capacity and the enormous opportunities available for downstream processing.

Ike-Muonso noted that Nigeria produces over 63 million metric tonnes of cassava annually, making it the world’s largest producer, while also maintaining strong positions in cocoa, cashew, sesame, palm oil and cotton. However, more than 80 per cent of agricultural output leaves farms without adequate processing, resulting in the loss of significant economic value and industrial opportunities.

In the solid minerals sector, he identified more than 44 commercially viable minerals across over 500 locations, including lithium, gold, barite, bitumen, iron ore and high-grade limestone, describing them as strategic resources capable of supporting steel production, energy storage, electrification and advanced manufacturing.

The DG further drew attention to Nigeria’s industrial and agro-waste resources, noting that the country generates over 32 million tonnes of solid waste annually. He explained that agricultural residues, cassava peels, scrap metals, plastics and electronic waste could serve as important feedstock for bio-fertilisers, industrial chemicals, recycled polymers, energy production and other manufacturing applications.

In the agricultural sector, the DG identified cassava and industrial starch, cotton and natural textiles, natural rubber and elastomers, oil palm and oleochemicals, maize derivatives and cocoa processing as priority areas requiring increased investment.

He explained that processing agricultural commodities into industrial starch, sweeteners, textiles, technical rubber, specialty fats and other intermediate products would enable Nigeria to capture more value from its agricultural resources while reducing dependence on imported industrial inputs.

For the minerals sector, he highlighted crude oil-to-olefins and petrochemicals, lithium and energy storage, iron ore and steel, rare earth elements, bauxite and aluminium, and copper and electrification as strategic investment opportunities.

He particularly emphasised the importance of moving beyond mineral extraction into beneficiation, refining, battery precursors, industrial chemicals, metal fabrication and advanced materials production.

On the circular economy, Prof. Ike-Muonso identified electronic waste recovery, scrap metal recycling, plastic waste processing, agro-waste valorisation and battery recycling as emerging industrial opportunities.

He explained that transforming waste into productive industrial feedstock would not only reduce environmental pollution but also create new manufacturing industries, generate employment and reduce the importation of valuable industrial materials.

He noted that to address the structural challenges confronting raw material-based industrialisation, the DG highlighted the strategic interventions of the RMRDC, particularly the proposed 30% Value Addition Bill and the Nigeria Integrated Information Statistical System for Raw Materials and Products (NISSRAMP).

He described the 30% Value Addition Bill as an important policy instrument designed to encourage domestic processing of raw materials before export, strengthen local manufacturing capacity and guarantee access to essential raw materials for Nigerian industries, and NISSRAMP as a critical data infrastructure that would improve access to verified information on the availability, location and quality of raw materials.

According to him, the combination of appropriate policy instruments and reliable resource data would help de-risk investments, improve transparency and strengthen confidence in Nigeria’s raw material sector.

He emphasised the importance of collaboration among government, academia and industry in developing bankable projects, sharing investment risks and accelerating the establishment of processing and manufacturing facilities.

Professor Ike-Muonso called on Nigerians in the diaspora and other local and international investors to take advantage of the opportunities available in Nigeria’s raw material sector.

He identified industrial processing parks, mineral beneficiation and refining, agro-industrial platforms, circular-material processing, industrial input manufacturing and enabling infrastructure as viable investment platforms.

He noted that diaspora investors could contribute beyond financial capital by bringing technology, international business networks, governance standards, technical expertise and access to global markets.

He maintained that Nigeria’s industrial transformation requires coordinated investment across the entire value chain, from raw material sourcing and aggregation to processing, manufacturing, certification and export development.

Professor Ike-Muonso stressed that the country’s industrial future would depend not merely on the volume of raw materials extracted but on the capacity to transform them into competitive products that meet domestic and international market requirements.

He maintained that developing local value chains would stimulate industrial growth, create employment opportunities, diversify exports, conserve foreign exchange and deepen Nigeria’s technological capabilities.

Through its strategic interventions, the RMRDC is positioning itself as a critical bridge between resource availability, investment opportunities and industrial competitiveness, with the ultimate objective of transforming Nigeria from a predominantly raw material exporting economy into a strong manufacturing and value-adding nation.

Ike-Muonso has demonstrated this since assumption of office as the Director General/ CEO RMRDC in the area of capacity building, improved working conditions, promotion of merit, and maintaining a conducive environment that rewards excellence, innovation and dedication. This is evident in his institution of RMRDC training school, reward for winners of the RMRDC innovation challenge among others.

His commitment has brought recognition both nationally and internationally: Al-Jazirah double honour awards as Public Servant /Government Agency of the year 2024-2025 and the recent election as the Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Representative on the Board of the World Association of Industrial and Technological Research Organisations (WAITRO) is a attestation to his commitment.

Concluding the lecture, the DG charged staff, researchers, manufacturers and investors to see themselves as nation builders in the new era of raw materials-led industrialization.

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