By Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko
One of the earliest philosophical propositions I learnt during my first-year philosophy course at the Nigerian Institute of Philosophy, Nekede, Owerri, Imo State, South-East Nigeria, was the logical assertion that “nothing can be and not be at the same time.” In other words, a person cannot be asleep and awake at the same time in the same sense.
This philosophical principle provides an interesting starting point for examining the feasibility of operating a lean government while public officials engage in conspicuous displays of wealth and allegedly squander scarce public resources on extravagant acquisitions.
How can a government credibly advocate fiscal discipline and ask citizens to endure economic hardship when some of its most visible decisions appear inconsistent with the principles of prudence, restraint and responsible public expenditure?
Equally troubling is the question of how Nigerians can be expected to accept painful economic reforms when reports of expensive government acquisitions, including luxury vehicles and a proposed presidential yacht, emerge against a backdrop of widespread poverty and rising living costs.
This is the uncomfortable contradiction that deserves serious examination.
Be Patient: My Economic Reforms Will Stabilise Nigeria, Tinubu Tells Nigerians
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged Nigerians to remain patient as his administration’s economic reforms begin to take effect, promising a more stable and prosperous future for the country.
Speaking at the 16th edition of the LEADERSHIP Annual Conference and Awards, where he was honoured as Person of the Year, Tinubu, who was represented by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, argued that although the journey towards a stronger and more stable economy would be challenging, Nigeria was on course to achieving lasting economic progress through the government’s reforms.
His message emphasised that the current difficulties, notwithstanding their severity, could provide an opportunity to build a more sustainable economy.
According to the President, the controversial removal of fuel subsidies had generated significant savings and increased government revenue, which his administration maintained could ultimately benefit Nigerians.
However, the question that remains is whether the government’s spending priorities reflect the same spirit of sacrifice and fiscal responsibility it demands of ordinary citizens.
Critics have argued that some of the administration’s early expenditure decisions, particularly those involving luxury acquisitions and expensive official vehicles, appeared inconsistent with its appeal for public patience and economic restraint.
The central issue is not simply whether the government can afford particular purchases. It is whether such expenditure is justified at a time when millions of Nigerians are struggling to afford food, transportation, healthcare and other basic necessities.
Nigeria’s President Approves Spending on Presidential Assets and SUVs for Lawmakers
Within the first few months of assuming office, President Tinubu reportedly approved a supplementary budget that included substantial allocations for government assets, including a presidential yacht and sport utility vehicles (SUVs) for lawmakers and other public officials.
These reported expenditure decisions provoked public criticism amid growing concerns about economic inequality and the cost of governance.
Reports at the time indicated that the supplementary budget included approximately $38 million for the presidential air fleet and related renovations. Meanwhile, an allocation of approximately $6.1 million for the proposed presidential yacht was subsequently redirected by lawmakers towards student loans, following Senate approval.
Nigeria’s Navy reportedly confirmed that it had taken delivery of the yacht but stated that payment had not been made.
The then presidential spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, defended the supplementary budget, arguing that it was intended to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture, address critical infrastructure deficits and meet other national priorities.
According to the spokesperson, approximately 30 per cent of the proposed expenditure would be directed towards security, while another 35 per cent would support critical infrastructure.
Separately, reports indicated that members of Nigeria’s 460-member National Assembly were to receive new SUVs, with the reported cost per vehicle attracting considerable public criticism. Lawmakers defended the proposed acquisition on the grounds that the vehicles would improve their ability to perform their legislative responsibilities.
Nevertheless, the timing and perceived extravagance of these expenditure decisions raised legitimate questions about the government’s priorities.
Nigeria has faced persistent challenges involving food insecurity, rising prices, unemployment and widespread economic hardship. Against this background, reports of expensive official acquisitions have intensified public frustration with a political system in which elected officials are often perceived to enjoy considerable privileges while ordinary citizens struggle to make ends meet.
The contrast becomes even more disturbing when essential public services remain underfunded and workers, including medical professionals, have periodically resorted to industrial action over remuneration and working conditions.
The fundamental question is whether public expenditure adequately reflects the urgent needs of the Nigerian people.
The Morality of Saying One Thing and Doing the Opposite
There is a compelling moral obligation on public officeholders to ensure that their public statements are consistent with their conduct in office.
Political leadership requires more than persuasive speeches. It demands personal example, responsible stewardship of public resources and a demonstrable commitment to the welfare of the people.
It is difficult to defend a situation in which public officials preach sacrifice while appearing to prioritise expenditure on personal comfort, prestige and institutional privileges over the immediate needs of citizens.
Such conduct, where established, raises serious questions about political hypocrisy and the ethical responsibilities attached to public office.
These concerns are particularly significant in Nigeria, where millions of people experience multidimensional poverty, inadequate healthcare, poor educational facilities, unemployment and insecurity.
The government’s responsibility is not merely to announce economic reforms but also to demonstrate that the burdens associated with those reforms are being managed fairly.
Citizens are more likely to accept difficult economic policies when they can see that their leaders are exercising restraint, eliminating waste and sharing in the sacrifices demanded of the population.
Without that visible commitment, appeals for patience risk sounding hollow.
Ethics and Accountability in Public Administration
Public administrators are entrusted with managing public resources and making decisions that affect the lives of citizens. Their responsibilities therefore extend beyond technical competence to include integrity, transparency, fairness and accountability.
An examination of government policies and expenditure decisions in Nigeria raises questions about whether these ethical obligations are being adequately observed.
Public officeholders, whether elected or appointed, have a duty to act in the public interest. They must recognise that the authority entrusted to them is not a personal entitlement but a responsibility to serve the people.
Ethics in public administration refers to the principles and values that guide public officials in carrying out their duties. As discussed in educational resources on public administration, these principles provide a framework for responsible decision-making and the proper use of public resources.
Ethics and accountability are fundamental to effective public service because they help maintain the trust and legitimacy that citizens place in government institutions.
Ethical conduct requires public servants to uphold integrity, transparency and fairness when making decisions that affect society. A strong ethical framework also helps guard against corruption, the abuse of power and the misuse of public funds.
Without a meaningful commitment to ethical behaviour, public institutions risk losing the confidence of the people they are established to serve. Such a loss of confidence can encourage cynicism, weaken civic participation and undermine effective governance.
Accountability and transparency, meanwhile, serve as essential checks on the exercise of public authority. They ensure that government officials and institutions can be called upon to explain their decisions, justify their expenditure and demonstrate that public resources have been used appropriately.
Effective accountability mechanisms include transparent budgetary reporting, independent audits, legislative oversight and meaningful scrutiny of public procurement.
When public officials are held accountable for their performance and compliance with ethical standards, the result can be more efficient service delivery, reduced opportunities for abuse and greater confidence in government institutions.
These principles are especially relevant to debates about the cost of governance in Nigeria.
Criticism of expenditure on luxury vehicles, presidential assets and other official privileges should not be dismissed merely because such purchases may have received administrative or legislative approval. The more fundamental questions concern their necessity, affordability, value for money and consistency with the government’s stated priorities.
The acquisition of expensive official assets, including the proposed presidential yacht and SUVs for lawmakers, therefore raises legitimate questions about the standards of fiscal restraint and accountability expected of public officeholders.
If Nigerians are being asked to endure the hardships associated with economic reforms, the government must demonstrate that it is equally committed to reducing unnecessary expenditure and directing available resources towards essential public services.
The President should lead by example by promoting a leaner, more efficient and more accountable system of government.
Lean Government and the Public Sector
Lean government refers to the application of lean management principles to government operations and public service delivery. Its fundamental objectives are to improve efficiency, eliminate waste, reduce unnecessary expenditure and enhance the quality of services provided to citizens.
Rather than simply cutting budgets or reducing the number of public employees, a genuine lean-government approach involves examining how public institutions operate, identifying inefficiencies and redesigning processes to achieve better outcomes with available resources.
This requires a fundamental reassessment of administrative procedures, public procurement, bureaucratic structures and the allocation of government funds.
The objective should be to ensure that public resources produce measurable benefits for citizens.
In Nigeria, such an approach should also reflect the constitutional principle that sovereignty belongs to the people, from whom government derives its powers and authority. Public institutions exist to serve citizens, not to become instruments for the enrichment or convenience of political officeholders and their associates.
A lean government should therefore prioritise equitable development, effective service delivery and the responsible management of public assets across the federation.
Strategic Aspects of Lean Government
1. Citizen-Centred Governance
The needs and expectations of citizens must remain at the centre of government policy and administrative decisions.
Public services should be designed and delivered in ways that respond effectively to people’s needs, particularly those of vulnerable communities. Government must measure success by improvements in citizens’ living conditions rather than by the size of its budgets or the number of officials occupying public offices.
2. Elimination of Waste
Government should identify and eliminate activities that consume public resources without delivering meaningful value.
These may include duplicated administrative functions, unnecessary paperwork, excessive bureaucratic procedures, poorly planned projects and inefficient procurement practices.
Reducing such waste would free resources for essential services, including healthcare, education, infrastructure and social protection.
3. Process Efficiency and Administrative Simplification
Public institutions should simplify, standardise and modernise their administrative processes to reduce complexity and improve performance.
Unnecessary delays and overlapping responsibilities can undermine the implementation of government policies and projects. Streamlined procedures, clear lines of responsibility and appropriate performance monitoring can help improve service delivery.
4. Efficient Resource Management
A lean government must adopt responsible practices for managing public funds, personnel, infrastructure and other assets.
Budgetary decisions should be guided by clearly identified priorities, measurable public benefits and value-for-money assessments.
Government agencies should also be subject to effective monitoring and independent scrutiny to ensure that allocated funds are used for their intended purposes.
5. Transparency and Accountability
Efficiency cannot be achieved sustainably without transparency and accountability.
Government institutions should provide accessible information about public expenditure, procurement decisions, project implementation and service-delivery outcomes.
Independent oversight and regular audits can help identify waste, discourage corruption and ensure that public officials remain answerable to the citizens they serve.
Conclusion: Nigeria Needs a Government That Leads by Example
By and large, Nigeria’s present circumstances demonstrate the importance of applying lean-government principles across federal, state and local administrations, as well as throughout public-sector institutions.
A serious commitment to these principles could help streamline government operations, reduce waste, improve the quality of public services and strengthen public confidence in political leadership.
Lean government is not simply about spending less. It is about achieving better outcomes with the resources available, ensuring that public expenditure delivers genuine value and continually improving the efficiency and accessibility of government services.
Nigeria cannot make sustainable progress if public office is treated as an opportunity to reward political associates, establish unnecessarily cumbersome bureaucratic structures or sustain extravagant privileges at the expense of the public good.
A government burdened by waste, duplication and excessive administrative costs risks slowing the implementation of policies and projects that could improve the lives of ordinary Nigerians.
Those who aspire to lead must therefore be prepared to operate under the discipline of transparency, accountability and prudent public expenditure.
The President, in particular, has a responsibility to demonstrate that the sacrifices demanded of Nigerians are matched by restraint and responsible leadership at the highest levels of government.
Why should the Nigerian state incur enormous expenditure on the comfort and privileges of political officeholders when millions of citizens continue to struggle with hunger, poverty, inadequate healthcare and poor educational opportunities?
The question is not whether Nigeria requires a government capable of performing its constitutional responsibilities. It certainly does. The question is whether the country can achieve those responsibilities through a more efficient, disciplined and citizen-centred system of governance.
The answer must begin with a change in priorities.
A lean government must be more than a political slogan. It must be demonstrated through prudent budgeting, responsible procurement, transparent administration and a willingness by public officials to place national interests above personal comfort and political prestige.
If President Tinubu expects Nigerians to trust his economic reforms, his administration must demonstrate, through its decisions and conduct, that the resources of the Nigerian state are being managed in the best interests of the people.
Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko is the founder of the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) and a former National Commissioner of the National Human Rights Commission of Nigeria.