Training Nigerian Senior Executives in Paris - Policy and Programme Implementation in Nigeria (Lessons from France)

Getting Things Done: Strategies for Policy and Programme Implementation in Nigeria was the theme of this high-level engagement.

On July 8-9, 2021, I had the honor and privilege to train high level delegates from the public and private sector for 2 days in Paris.

These delegates represent the SENIOR EXECUTIVE COURSE 43, 2021 from the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS).

These high-level officials were drawn from various sectors such as Business, Security, Health, Education and other agencies at various levels in Nigeria.

The objectives of this study hinged on the following:

???Discuss the nature of the strategic environment for policy and programme implementation to get things done in the Country of Study

???Assess the policy, legal and institutional frameworks for policy and programme implementation to get things done in the Country of Study

???Identify the stakeholders in policy and programme implementation to get things done in the Country of Study

???Evaluate the performance of policy and programme implementation to get things done in the Country of Study

???Make a comparative analysis of policy and programme implementation between Nigeria and Country of Study

???Examine the options for policy and programme implementation to get things done in Nigeria

???Make recommendations and proffer implementation strategies for getting things done in Nigeria?

My training was centered around the Technological Environment of France. I touched on various aspects of the policy framework and implementation strategies of the French Government led by President Emmanuel Macron in making France a startup nation which has also made the country the most attractive nation in Europe for business for the second year in a row.

Nigeria and France share many similarities, albeit at different levels of engagement with respect to the dynamism for innovation. It is no gainsaying that there are loads of lessons to learn from France with respect to building a formidable tech ecosystem, policy formation, engaging the private sector, attracting foreign investments as well as creating new markets for French innovators on the global landscape. Having been an active player in the Nigeria-France Tech Ecosystem for few years, I brought in my tangible experience as I unraveled the backend wheels that make for a thriving innovative tech ecosystem. With this, I believe concrete partnerships can be consolidated between stakeholders from both countries in the nearest future.

I am grateful to the NIPSS team for rising to their responsibility by serving as the nation’s foremost policy think-tank to develop a crop of top-class technocrats of high intellectual capacity who will conceptualize and anchor the implementation of innovative and dynamic policy initiatives and strategies, critical for national development.

I am of the school of thought that ‘after all has been said, more needs to be done than said’. This is why my focus in the coming months will be on the follow-up with some of these engagements between stakeholders from both countries.

I must appreciate Madam PARA-MALLAM, Funmi Josephine (Leader of the Delegation) and Mr. Olufemi Awoyemi (Proshare) as well as Mr. Danlami Ibrahim (Economic Counselor – Embassy of Nigeria, Paris) and the team of Friends of Nigeria for this lofty engagement with great potential to help Nigeria reposition herself in the area of policy and implementation.

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Thank you, NIPSS for the amazing gift (from home).The beautiful piece of art.

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