As Nigerians await President Bola Tinubu‘s list of ministerial nominees, indications have emerged that the president’s cabinet could consist of 42 ministers and 20 special advisors.

Development Diaries reports that out of the 60 days permitted by the Nigerian constitution, Tinubu has fewer than 20 days left to send the list to the Senate for review.

Also, the president is required by the constitution to appoint at least one minister from each of Nigeria’s 36 states.

According to a Guardian report, there would be an end to ministers of state portfolios, and there is an anticipation of the unbundling of some large ministries into two or three to create enough portfolios for cabinet members.

One of the campaign promises of Tinubu was to reduce the cost of governance in Nigeria, hence this is one opportunity to do so.

Nigeria spends very little on infrastructural development. Therefore, to free up more funds for development, the country’s cost of governance has to be significantly cut.

According to the World Bank 2022 Public Expenditure Review report, Nigeria is ranked among countries with the lowest human development index in the world, with a rank of 167 among 174 globally.

The report also noted that at the current rate of expenditure allocations, it would take the country 300 years to close its current infrastructure gap.

If the reports that Tinubu plans to appoint 42 ministers are anything to go by, it is important that the president takes measures to reduce the cost of governance by cutting down on the number of ministers and other appointees.

The president must reduce the expense of governance preventing the growth of Africa’s greatest economy since he seeks to improve the country’s economic management.

Fingers have been pointed at the high number of ministries, agencies, and parastatals that have grown to be cogs in Nigeria’s development throughout the years because of their overgrown bureaucracy.

Development Diaries calls on Tinubu to act quickly to curb high government expenditure in light of current economic conditions since declining revenues may force the government to increase borrowing to pay salaries of civil servants.

We also call for a necessary constitutional amendment that ends the mandatory appointment of ministers from all the states of the federation. Instead, ministers should be appointed from the six geo-political zones of Nigeria.

Photo source: Bola Ahmed Tinubu