Moghalu Urges Merit-Based Civil Service Reform As Foundation For Nigeria’s Economic Transformation

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Chibuzor Emejor

Professor Kingsley Moghalu, President of the Institute for Governance and Economic Transformation(IGET Academy), has said that Nigeria’s economic transformation cannot succeed without competent governance as its foundation.

Moghalu stated this on Wednesday at the ongoing 2026 International Civil Service Conference, organised by the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation(HCSF) in Abuja.

Moghalu, a former Deputy Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN), argued that genuine economic transformation demands competent, capable governance as its bedrock.

According to him, “Effective governance is not a luxury; it is the indispensable foundation for prosperity and peace.

Delivering the keynote address on “Governance Reform, Economic Transformation, and Regional Stability,” Moghalu argued that Africa’s public sector must adopt private-sector disciplines of strategy, risk management, transparency, and accountability.

“Ministries, agencies, and public corporations must adopt private-sector disciplines of strategy, risk management, transparency, and accountability.

“Treat citizens as stakeholders who deserve returns on public resources,” he said.

Drawing on lessons from Singapore, South Korea, China, and Botswana, Moghalu outlined a sequence for development: governance capacity, human development, structural transformation, and inclusive growth.

He noted that Nigeria’s GDP per capita remains at $1,556 in 2026, placing it in the bottom 20-30% globally, despite significant corporate revenues.

He highlighted four dimensions of state capacity—protective, extractive, administrative, and business environment—and called for merit-based recruitment, depoliticised administration, zero-tolerance anti-corruption measures, and selective adaptation of New Public Management tools.

Moghalu also linked governance deficits to Nigeria’s security challenges, stating that weak state presence, corruption, and failure to deliver basic services exacerbate poverty and regional fractures.

“Governance reform is the gateway to economic transformation and regional stability,” he said.

“Our civil service—dedicated men and women in this room and beyond—holds the keys to unlocking it.”

End.