THE CHALLENGES OF NEW PUBLIC MANAGEMENT IN NIGERIA: A REVIEW

Abstract

Nigeria just like other developing countries especially, have accepted and are implementing the NPM principles and practices as specified by donor governments and international financial institutions with the hope of attaining efficiency and effectiveness in public service delivery. However, the Nigerian public service still exudes inefficiency and ineffectiveness. It is against this backdrop the study attempts a review of challenges of NPM in Nigerian public service. The study was anchored on public choice theory. This paper, adopting the content analysis approach, generated its data from published and unpublished works, i.e. books, reputable journal articles and magazines. Based on works reviewed, the paper identified socio-political and ideological underpinnings, weak governance capacity, weak market alternatives, poor infrastructure, incompetent staff, lack of political will, negative perceptions of reforms (resentment and resistance) and corruption as prominent factors that have accounted for the continued inefficient and ineffective nature of the public service in Nigeria. The study submits that however beautiful the NPM principles may seem or regardless of its potency in other countries, particularly in developed countries, it should be acknowledged that our environment and circumstances are peculiar. As such, Nigeria should ensure that public service reforms are always considered in respect to our peculiar situation and environment instead of accepting reforms from donor governments and international financial institutions hook, line and sinker.