Technocracy is the Key to Fixing Governance in Nigeria

Nigeria has been stuck in the same cycle for years. We talk about change, promise reform, elect new leaders, yet the country continues to struggle with the same problems: corruption, slow service delivery, poor planning, inconsistent policies, and a political class that often treats public office as a reward rather than a responsibility. At this point, it is clear that politics alone cannot fix Nigeria. What we need is technocracy—not as a replacement for democracy, but as a foundation for serious governance.

What is Technocracy?

Technocracy simply means putting qualified experts in charge of the sectors they understand. It means letting professionals lead the conversation on infrastructure, economy, education, security, healthcare, technology, and the public service. This is not a radical idea; it is common sense. You would not ask a musician to perform brain surgery, so why do we repeatedly trust unqualified people to run the most complex systems in the country?

Nigeria is too complicated to be governed on guesswork or political loyalty. The scale of our challenges demands expertise. For example, the power sector cannot be reformed by people who do not understand how generation, transmission, and distribution actually work. The transport sector cannot move forward without urban planners and engineers. Digital governance cannot develop without people who understand technology, data systems, and cybersecurity. Yet our appointments often favour politics first and competence later. This is one of the main reasons we keep going in circles.

Abia State: A Case Study in Technocracy

If anyone needs proof that technocracy works, Abia State under Governor Alex Otti is a clear example. Otti is a technocrat with decades of experience in finance, management, and corporate leadership, and he has taken that same methodical mindset into governance. His appointments are based on merit and professionalism. He has filled the civil service with qualified permanent secretaries, appointed experts to head ministries, and even selected a Head of Service solely on competence. In a country where political patronage usually determines who gets what position, his approach is refreshing.

His government has cleaned up the payroll by removing ghost workers, introduced proper verification systems, invested in digitising the civil service, and strengthened long-term planning. These are not theatrical gestures. They are structural reforms carried out by people who actually know what they are doing. And the results are showing. Abia is cleaner, better organised, more transparent, and more forward-looking than it has been in decades. This is what happens when competence leads.

Why Technocracy Matters

A technocratic approach reduces political interference and forces leaders to focus on results. It demands long-term planning, consistent policy, and proper execution. These are the exact qualities Nigeria currently lacks. Democracy gives us the right to choose our leaders. Technocracy ensures that those leaders choose the right people to run the country. This balance is what Nigeria desperately needs.

The Way Forward

If Nigeria is serious about progress, then several changes must happen:

• Government appointments should be merit-based.
• Ministries should be led by people who can actually deliver.
• National planning should be driven by evidence, not speeches.
• Civil servants should be trained, retrained, and held to strict performance standards.
• Expert advisory councils should be compulsory for every critical sector.

If we do not professionalise governance, we will keep repeating the same failures.

This is not about insulting politicians. It is about being honest. Nigeria will not grow simply because we hope for it. Growth is engineered by people who understand how systems work. A functional country is not an accident. It is built by competence, discipline, and continuity. Technocracy provides that structure.

Nigeria is at a point where we can no longer pretend that political theatrics are enough. The country needs a new approach—a serious one, a professional one. Technocracy is not perfect, but it is far better than the trial and error that has defined Nigerian governance for decades. If we want a country that works, we must put the right people in the right roles and let expertise lead the way.