Power without prosperity: How politics keeps Nigeria’s economy shackled

Some of the achievements recorded in Nigeria’s economy show that Nigeria can work, if the political class decides to work for the citizens. From the success of the Dangote Refinery in changing the face of petrol supply in the country, for instance, to the stability in the exchange rate of the naira, there is evidence […]

Some of the achievements recorded in Nigeria’s economy show that Nigeria can work, if the political class decides to work for the citizens. From the success of the Dangote Refinery in changing the face of petrol supply in the country, for instance, to the stability in the exchange rate of the naira, there is evidence that things can be done right in the country, if politicians muster the will to do so.

Unfortunately, Nigeria’s case exemplifies that of a political prosperity that has failed to translate into economic vibrancy. There is a clear disconnect between the exuberance of the political elite and the frail citizen searching for a place to hang onto in the economy. This is so because Nigerians have suffered for decades from the failure of the political class to play the role assigned to it. That role is summed in the concept of public purpose. It refers to using the instrument of political power to provide services that spur the production of goods and services to meet the needs of a country’s citizens. This is the summary of the reason for the political arrangement in a country.

Clearly, Nigeria’s biggest economic challenge is not a lack of ideas but the lack of the political will to make those ideas work. It is for this reason that the country has remained without much progress relative to its peers, despite the numerous administrations we have had. Every administration comes with its slogans, blueprint, and impressive programmes to address known problems. Unfortunately, before the government settles down to go about solving the problems, the economic agenda is overtaken by the political agenda.

Ironically, the country’s politicians, from executive to legislators, are busy proffering changes but leave untouched their lack of understanding of the contract between them and the people. That contract begins at the point an individual, an otherwise private person, offers himself or herself for service on the political plane. From that moment, the fellow assumes a contractual obligation to cater to the needs of the public, using or directing the resources of the state to undertake activities that impact the people’s lives positively.

The disappearance of that sense of obligation results in or even stems from the breakdown of the nexus between Nigeria’s political class and the economy. With this breakdown comes the death of the public purpose. Like a fishing net needs mending for it to work, it needs. a reinvention. As has been said, it is almost impossible for an economy to grow beyond its politics, the foundation that supports the entire system. That system must recognise the primacy of the economic system and its ability to meet the needs of the people.

Without a doubt, the Nigerian economy cannot perform better than the underlying logic of its politics. Indeed, there must be a strong link between politics and economics in such a way that the former will pull the latter out of the doldrums. In Nigeria, that link does not exist, which explains why we have had a vibrant political enterprise but the economy remains in limbo. We have a bloated political system that takes care of itself before remembering that there is a set of people – the citizens- whose interest should come first.

This disappearance of the public purpose has led to the practice of politics without purpose. Otherwise, if all the politicians go into office with a clear knowledge of their mandate – the public purpose of politics – they would not indulge in all the selfish decisions they are known for.

Why do our politicians not care about the provision of public goods that serve the interest of the general public? Public goods such as infrastructure are the base of any economy, but those who make decisions on behalf of the people are not mindful of these things. Otherwise, why has the power sector remained intractable despite years of legislation, debates, and several billions of dollars appropriated for the sector? There is no single reason anybody can adduce to explain the continued crisis in the power sector, apart from the lack of will or interest to solve the problem. Rather, as investigations showed, some of the amounts appropriated probably were not used for the purposes for which they were made.

That is the root of the debacle. When politics overshadows economics, private interest rises about public purpose. That is why funds dedicated for projects end up being misused or diverted. Millions of Nigerians want to join the political class because for them that is the only way they can survive in the economy.

This unfortunate social and economic dualism, hoisted on the citizens by the political class, will continue. Nigeria needs to cultivate a new political culture that recognises the people first as the primary purpose of politics, a system that puts economics at the pedestal at par, at least, with politics. We need political prosperity that is derived from economic prosperity, not the other way round.