Reforms: Information Minister pushes aggressive public awareness drive

2026-02-25 - 17:37

By Joseph Erunke, Abuja Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has declared that no reform can succeed in Nigeria without clear, consistent, and strategic communication to the public, warning that poorly explained policies often breed resistance. Speaking during a courtesy visit by the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms ,BPSR, Dasuki Ibrahim Arabi, and his management team in Abuja on Wednesday, the Minister reaffirmed the Federal Government’s resolve to not only implement reforms but also ensure Nigerians fully understand their purpose and benefits. “Reforms must not only be implemented; they must also be effectively communicated. Where reforms are not properly understood, there is always resistance. Our duty is to ensure Nigerians understand that these reforms are designed for their greater good,” Idris stated. He commended the BPSR for sustaining institutional reforms across the public service, describing reform as indispensable to national development. Highlighting digitisation as one of the most transformative changes in recent years, the minister said the overhaul of Nigeria’s public financial management system has ended the era of paper-based transactions, blocked leakages, and strengthened transparency and accountability across Ministries, “Gone are the days when contractors rushed ministries at year-end to collect cheques. Today, the system is digitised. If the banking sector can operate seamlessly across Nigeria using technology managed by Nigerians, then our public service can work efficiently too,” he said. The minister stressed that structural reforms must be accompanied by attitudinal change, noting that the inclusion of National Orientation in the ministry’s mandate underscores the government’s determination to promote patriotism, civic responsibility, and shared ownership of public institutions. He also revealed ongoing efforts to modernise and digitise Nigeria’s archival systems to preserve institutional memory and eliminate policy inconsistencies. Addressing emerging threats, Idris emphasised the importance of media and information literacy in combating misinformation, deepfakes, and artificial intelligence-driven manipulation. To ensure reforms are widely understood, the minister assured that agencies under his supervision , including the Nigerian Television Authority ,NTA, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria ,FRCN, Voice of Nigeria ,VON, and the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, will intensify coverage of reform milestones and public enlightenment campaigns. Earlier, BPSR Director-General ,Dasuki Ibrahim Arabi ,said the visit was aimed at deepening collaboration with the ministry to accelerate reform communication and enhance transparency across MDAs. He outlined the pillars of the National Strategy on Public Service Reforms, which focus on strengthening governance standards, reinforcing national development planning, digitising public financial management, and promoting citizen engagement. “Public service reform is not a one-off intervention; it is a continuous process of strengthening institutions, improving accountability, and leveraging technology to deliver better outcomes for citizens. “Our partnership with the Ministry of Information and National Orientation is critical to ensuring that these reforms are clearly communicated, properly understood, and sustainably implemented across all MDAs,” Arabi said. He noted that digitisation initiatives have significantly reduced irregularities such as ghost workers and improved payroll integrity at federal, state, and local government levels. He further called for stricter compliance with the Freedom of Information ,FOI Act, urging MDAs to proactively disclose budgetary and operational data on official platforms. He also disclosed ongoing training programmes to enhance digital literacy among public servants, including guidance on the responsible use of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence to safeguard government communication systems.