Makinde’s Reset Nigeria Agenda: Economic Reforms, Security and Education at the Centre of Presidential Ambition

As Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde advances his presidential ambition, his proposed Reset Nigeria Agenda outlines a vision for restructuring Nigeria’s economy, improving security, reforming education and strengthening federalism.

The programme is built around the argument that government policies should be judged by their impact on citizens rather than budgetary allocations, projects commissioned or economic statistics. It identifies the high cost of living, unreliable electricity, inadequate infrastructure, insecurity, unemployment and declining purchasing power as major challenges requiring coordinated intervention.

The proposed agenda is organised around four broad pillars: economic restructuring, security reform, education and socio-political transformation. Its central position is that Nigeria’s development challenges are not solely caused by a lack of resources or policies, but also by weaknesses in institutions and the failure to translate public spending into measurable improvements in people’s lives.

Economic restructuring and the cost of living

The economic pillar seeks to reduce the structural costs of producing, transporting and distributing goods and services. It argues that addressing inflation sustainably requires more than conventional monetary and fiscal measures.

The programme identifies electricity costs, transportation, logistics, insecurity, regulatory bottlenecks and limited access to finance as factors that make doing business expensive and contribute to the high cost of living.

It proposes a more integrated approach involving infrastructure development, energy, agriculture, security, finance and market access. Under this framework, government performance would be assessed through indicators such as employment, household income, food affordability and purchasing power.

One of the proposals associated with Makinde’s economic thinking is the Domestic Energy Value Credit (DEVC). The proposed arrangement seeks to ensure that Nigerians benefit directly when international crude oil prices rise above the benchmark used in preparing the national budget.

The idea is to establish a clearer connection between the value generated from Nigeria’s petroleum resources and the welfare of citizens, rather than allowing additional petroleum-related revenue to benefit government finances without a corresponding citizen-focused return.

However, the proposal’s viability would depend on clear funding arrangements, distribution mechanisms and accountability safeguards. Without those details, it remains difficult to determine how the credit would operate in practice or how its benefits would be shared.

Electricity and infrastructure

The agenda also identifies affordable and reliable electricity as essential to industrial growth and improved business productivity.

Makinde has advocated greater participation by state governments in electricity generation and distribution under the framework provided by the Electricity Act 2023. He has also argued that manufacturers should have access to more affordable electricity through the national grid.

His administration’s experience in Oyo State includes the commissioning of an 11-megawatt hybrid power plant in Ibadan in 2024, alongside plans to expand solar capacity.

On infrastructure, the proposal emphasises roads and transport networks that connect farms, industrial clusters, markets and consumers. Rather than measuring performance only by the number of kilometres constructed, it proposes assessing the impact of projects on travel time, logistics expenses, commercial activity and post-harvest losses.

A proposed Federal-State Road Compact would also establish clearer arrangements for financing, construction, reimbursement and maintenance when state governments undertake projects on federal roads.

The agenda cites road projects in Oyo State, including the Moniya-Iseyin Road, Ogbomoso-Fapote-Iseyin Road and Oyo-Iseyin Road, as examples of infrastructure intended to improve connectivity across agricultural and commercial areas.

Agriculture and private investment

Agriculture is another major component of the proposed economic restructuring. The programme advocates developing agricultural value chains that connect production with storage, processing, financing, transportation and markets.

It argues that government intervention should go beyond distributing agricultural inputs to creating conditions that allow farmers to earn sustainable incomes from their produce.

The Fasola Agribusiness Industrial Hub in Oyo State is presented as an example of this approach. According to figures provided by the state administration, the project attracted 16 agribusiness companies and approximately N20 billion in private investment within three years, while more than 5,000 young people received training.

The administration also puts private investment attracted into agribusiness across the state at more than N46 billion.

These figures suggest the potential of public infrastructure to attract private capital, although investment commitments should be distinguished from funds actually deployed and projects fully operational.

The agenda further proposes reducing government’s direct involvement in commercial activities where private operators can deliver services competitively. It calls for independent technical, financial and environmental assessments of government-owned refineries, followed by commercially viable options such as private operating partnerships, conversion into alternative facilities or orderly decommissioning.

It also advocates fiscal discipline, with borrowing reserved for productive investments, statutory obligations and clearly defined counter-cyclical needs. Repayment sources and expected returns, according to the proposal, should be disclosed before borrowing is approved.

Another proposed reform is the ‘Tell the Government Once’ principle, which seeks to prevent citizens and businesses from repeatedly submitting information already provided to another government institution, where secure and authorised systems can share such information.

Security: A shift towards prevention

The second pillar proposes a security framework built around intelligence gathering, early warning, coordination and accountability.

The agenda recognises insecurity as both a public safety concern and an economic obstacle. Attacks on farming communities, dangerous transport routes and persistent violence can disrupt agricultural production, increase business costs and discourage investment.

It therefore proposes stronger intelligence sharing among security agencies, improved coordination and clearer responsibility for responding to threats.

It also advocates reviewing major security incidents to identify institutional failures and ensure that lessons lead to operational improvements.

Rather than measuring security performance mainly through personnel deployed, vehicles purchased or arrests made, the proposed framework would assess reductions in attacks, abductions and violent deaths, alongside improved access to farms, markets and communities.

Makinde points to Oyo State’s 615 toll-free emergency line, central security control room, CCTV infrastructure and coordination among security agencies as examples of initiatives that could inform the approach.

Education reform and skills development

The third pillar seeks to shift attention from school enrolment and infrastructure alone towards learning outcomes, teacher effectiveness and practical skills.

It proposes strengthening foundational literacy and numeracy, particularly during the early years of primary education.

The agenda also identifies poverty, insecurity, distance, cultural considerations and household economic pressures as factors that keep children out of school. It argues that interventions should reflect the different circumstances of communities rather than rely entirely on a uniform national approach.

To improve the connection between education and employment, it advocates stronger technical and vocational education, apprenticeships and closer links between tertiary institutions and the skills demanded by employers.

In Oyo State, Makinde’s administration cites the abolition of a N3,000 public secondary school levy, the delivery of more than 700 school projects and the re-enrolment of 54,569 out-of-school children through the Better Education Service Delivery for All programme.

While these figures provide an indication of the administration’s reported interventions, the national proposal still requires more detailed delivery targets, funding commitments and implementation timelines.

Socio-political reform and federalism

The fourth pillar focuses on restructuring Nigeria’s political and institutional arrangements to make federalism more functional.

Makinde argues that too much authority is concentrated at the federal level and advocates greater devolution of powers, particularly in areas such as security and natural resources.

The proposal rests on the argument that state governments are often better positioned to identify local priorities and respond to challenges affecting their communities.

However, transferring responsibilities without adequate funding, technical capacity and accountability could simply move existing governance problems from Abuja to the states.

The agenda references the Bodija explosion in Ibadan, which raised questions about the regulation of mining-related activities, as an example of the complications created by divided responsibilities between federal and state authorities.

Any substantial restructuring of constitutional powers would require the necessary constitutional and legislative processes.

Beyond devolution, the programme advocates stronger public institutions, transparent public expenditure, clearly defined responsibilities and accountability systems that remain effective regardless of changes in political leadership.

It also raises the possibility of a transitional government of national unity and a national conversation on Nigeria’s political future. Such proposals would require further clarification, particularly regarding the duration, mandate and constitutional limits of any transitional arrangement.

What Oyo State’s experience demonstrates

Makinde’s eight-year administration in Oyo State provides the basis for assessing some of the ideas contained in the proposed national agenda.

The administration points to its road construction programme, including almost 1,000 kilometres of constructed and rehabilitated roads, as evidence of its infrastructure priorities.

It also cites the Fasola Agribusiness Industrial Hub as an example of public investment attracting private capital into agricultural production and processing.

On revenue generation, the state administration reports that monthly internally generated revenue increased from approximately N1.7 billion in 2019 to N8.7 billion in 2025.

Other initiatives cited include investments in education and healthcare, the establishment of the Amotekun Corps and improvements to emergency response arrangements.

These experiences provide useful context for evaluating Makinde’s policy proposals. However, the performance of a state government does not automatically establish that the same approach can be replicated nationally, where the scale of responsibilities, funding requirements and institutional challenges are considerably different.

The financing and implementation challenge

Ultimately, the credibility of the Reset Nigeria Agenda will depend on how its proposals are financed, coordinated and translated into measurable results.

The programme advocates redirecting public expenditure from duplication, persistent losses and incomplete projects towards investments with demonstrable public value. It also supports private-sector participation in commercially viable activities and more disciplined borrowing.

These principles address important weaknesses in Nigeria’s governance and economic management. However, broad policy intentions are not the same as an implementation plan.

The proposals will need clear funding sources, measurable targets, timelines, responsible institutions and independent monitoring mechanisms. The Domestic Energy Value Credit, refinery restructuring, security coordination and proposed devolution of powers will also require detailed policy and legal frameworks.

As Makinde positions himself for the 2027 presidential contest, the Reset Nigeria Agenda offers a broad picture of the changes he believes the country needs. Its strongest test, however, will not be the appeal of its promises but whether it can demonstrate how those promises will be funded, implemented and measured across Nigeria’s diverse economic and political landscape.