Nigeria Needs Policy, Legislative Resilience To Turn Reforms Into Results, Says Hajiya Fatima Usman-Katsina
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Stella Omona
Head Federal and National Assembly Affairs, Hajiya Fatima Y. Usman-Katsina has called on federal and state governments to adopt Policy and Legislative Resilience (PLR) as a practical framework to strengthen institutions, improve fiscal discipline, deepen citizen participation, and ensure that Nigeria’s ongoing reforms deliver measurable results.
Usman-Katsina said Nigeria is at a critical governance moment, with major reforms moving from legislation into implementation amid rising fiscal, political, security and development pressures.
She noted this in a statement she personally signed stating that” while laws and policies are important, their real value depends on the capacity of institutions to sustain implementation, adapt to changing realities, and remain focused on citizen-centred outcomes.
“Nigeria does not only need new laws and policies. It needs institutions that can sustain reforms, adapt under pressure and deliver measurable outcomes for citizens,” she said.
According to her, Policy and Legislative Resilience refers to the ability of governments, particularly sub-national governments, to respond effectively to political, fiscal and development challenges through stronger policies, laws, regulations and implementation systems.
She explained that many well-intentioned policies fail not because they lack vision, but because the institutions responsible for implementation often lack the resilience, coordination, accountability and feedback mechanisms required to turn policy ambitions into results.
“Resilience is not a passive state, it is a matter of inner strength, determination, persistence and the willingness to look inward and move forward with clarity of purpose,” Usman-Katsina stated.
She observed that PLR is especially important for Nigerian states as they confront revenue pressures, rising expenditure obligations, service delivery gaps, security concerns and growing citizen expectations.
She added that state governments must look inward, optimise existing revenue systems, eliminate bottlenecks, improve the quality of expenditure, and strengthen the link between budgets, laws, and visible development outcomes.
Usman-Katsina identified four core pillars of Policy and Legislative Resilience, ‘The first is inclusive representation, communication and coordination, ensuring that governors, budget planners, legislators, MDAs and citizens are connected through credible consultation and feedback mechanisms.
“The second is sustainable policy and legislative support, which requires continuous review, advocacy, regulatory stability and institutional routines that preserve reform objectives beyond political cycles.
“The third is strengthened oversight, involving joint monitoring by communities, legislators and implementing agencies to improve accountability, reduce wastage and ensure that public spending produces tangible benefits.
“The fourth is internal optimisation and consolidation, which requires governments to identify savings, improve revenue collection, remove bottlenecks, streamline regulations and align state-level policies with national development priorities”.
She stressed that citizen engagement must move beyond ceremonial consultation to become a standard part of policy design, budgeting, legislative review, implementation tracking and public accountability.
“Citizens are no longer passive recipients of policy. They are active stakeholders whose priorities, experiences and feedback must shape how laws are designed, budgets are prepared, and projects are implemented,” she said.
Usman-Katsina also called for community-led needs assessments to be institutionalised as part of legislative and budget processes, noting that policies become more resilient when they are rooted in the lived realities of communities.
She further stated that Nigeria’s ongoing reform environment provides a timely opportunity to embed PLR into governance systems.
According to her, reforms in taxation, public finance, social investment, security, health, human capital development and sub-national governance will only achieve lasting impact if supported by resilient institutions and measurable implementation frameworks.
“PLR is about turning reforms into systems that last, done right, it creates governance value chains that improve service delivery, attract investment, support local enterprise, strengthen inclusive security, raise incomes and expand employment,” she added.
She urged governments, legislatures, MDAs, development partners, and civic actors to adopt PLR as a practical tool to improve policy implementation, legislative effectiveness, fiscal accountability, and citizen trust.
Usman-Katsina concluded that Nigeria’s reform momentum must now be matched with resilient institutions, inclusive governance, evidence-based decision-making and a stronger culture of accountability.
Hajiya Fatima Y. Usman-Katsina is also the Pioneer Female Head of Peace and Inclusive Security at the Nigeria Governors’ Forum.
