PRIVATISATION AND PUBLIC SERVICE DELIVERY IN NIGERIA: A STUDY OF SELECTED PUBLIC AGENCIES IN LAGOS STATE

Abstract

Both developed and emerging market economies has recognized Public sector management as the responsibility of government in the provision of services to her citizens. Most of these countries have adopted the public sector reform technique, geared towards making the enterprises more efficient, effective and productive, such organizations could not be maintained by the government because they had become a financial burden to the public budget. Thus, privatization became alternative service delivery in overcoming the deficiencies in public service delivery. In this study Primary and secondary sources were used. Primary sources includes questionnaire and interview while  Secondary sources are published textbooks, academics Journals, newspapers cutting, official documents and publications of the agencies which are published periodically as well as office records. The data were analyzed through descriptive table and F-value statistical tool. The findings reveal that privatization enhances the quality of service delivery and improves operational efficiency of public service delivery in Lagos State. However, the study concludes that privatized agencies still need to meet the designed goal so as to improve the living standards of the people, where emphasis should be on privatizing public utilities, which will become more efficient in the hand of private investors. The study recommends among others that government should look beyond the immediate gains of privatization and sell utilities that would enhance the near future to make the economy thrive and bring prosperity to the masses of Nigeria.