'Institutional reforms, participatory systems key to innovative governance'
Some public affairs analysts and political stakeholders have said institutional reforms, participatory systems, and data-driven policy frameworks are key innovative governance. Speaking in Ibadan at the 2026 Annual May Day
Some public affairs analysts and political stakeholders have said institutional reforms, participatory systems, and data-driven policy frameworks are key innovative governance.
Speaking in Ibadan at the 2026 Annual May Day Lecture of the Silver Knights’ Club, entitled, “Innovative Strategies for Improved Governance in Nigeria”, one of the panelists at the event and Head of Department, Politics and International Relations, Lead City University, Ibadan, Dr. Adebola Alade described e-governance as revolutionary tool for transparency and efficiency.
She identified systems like the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) as examples of how technology can institutionalise accountability.
Alade added that digital infrastructure, legislative backing, and political will are crucial for sustainable results, adding that political patronage and godfatherism have continued to erode merit-based systems and institutional integrity, while poor-quality data restricts evidence-based policymaking.
According to her, decentralisation, open government initiatives, and public-private partnerships are vital to moving decisions closer to the people and improving service delivery.
She proposed the following innovative strategies: true federalism to empower states to generate revenue, political elite transformation focused on citizens’ needs, and open data systems for real-time budget tracking.
She said governance innovation is not a one-off intervention but requires systemic change, political commitment, and alignment with international best practices adapted to local realities.
Also, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), and former National Legal Adviser of All Progressives Congress (APC), Babatunde Ogala, said a new pattern of governance has emerged since 2023.
According to him, the pattern is moving Nigeria from opacity to transparency, from centralisation to structured decentralisation, and from short-term comfort to long-term sustainability.
He, however, acknowledged challenges such as increased cost of living, inflation, and difficulties from new adjustments.
“There is a difference between a system in crisis and a system in transition. Since 2023, we have taken a different route. It may be longer, more demanding, and require patience, but it leads somewhere meaningful,” he said.
In his remark, the Managing Director, Southwest Development Commission, Dr. Charles Akinola, said Nigeria’s governance challenge was beyond leadership and elections to the quality of institutions designed to solve today’s development problems.
Akinola noted that conversations on governance often focus on political personalities, budget allocations, and policy statements.
According to him, the question of whether the country has the right institutions to address development issues that cut across state boundaries is often ignored.
Earlier in his welcome address, the 22nd Club Chief, Silver Knights, Chief Steve Okwubi, said that May Day has always been more than just a public holiday at Silver Knights.
To him, May Day is an opportunity to offer tribute to the strength, dedication, and ingenuity of the Nigerian workforce.
“Once every year, we gather to review the state of our nation and its impact on the well-being of the Nigerian people. The theme of this year’s discourse reflects our collective desire to move beyond traditional frameworks. In an era defined by rapid technological advancement and complex socio-economic shifts, governance must be agile, transparent, and most importantly innovative."
