Tinubu’s newly-appointed ministers who really have their work cut out over the next four years

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  • No nation can develop without technology as it is what makes you competitive in this hostile global economy. We simply need to start manufacturing or we will remain an eternal and perpetual importer.”

*Photo: President Tinubu*

           By Ayo Akinfe

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[1] Tahir Mamman: Minister of Education

With 13m our-of-school kids, Nigeria is the truancy capital of the world. We have become a nation of dropouts. Mr Mamman has to set himself a target of at least halving this by 2027. Can he please build at least two primary schools and one secondary school in each of our 774 local government areas

[2] Uche Nnaji: Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology

No nation can develop without technology as it is what makes you competitive in this hostile global economy. We simply need to start manufacturing or we will remain an eternal and perpetual importer. Minister Nnaji needs to set targets for car manufacturing, ship building, aircraft assembly and the nation becoming self-reliant when it comes to manufacturing consumer goods like TVs, fridges, laptops, mobile phones, washing machines, microwaves, etc

[3] Doris Anite: Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment

This is arguably the toughest job of all as Nigeria’s fundamental problem is that we are a mono economy. Unless we diversify, we will never grow our GDP and national budget. Ms Anite needs to set herself a minimum target of double digit economic growth every year between now and 2027. If we have 20% GDP growth every year between now and 2027, we be on the verge of a $1trn economy

[4] Yusuf Tuggar: Minister of Foreign Affairs

Nigeria has no need for foreign policy unless it is linked to investment and new markets. What we really need is a foreign investment policy. Mr Tuggar should set himself the target of attracting about $50bn in foreign direct investment each year between now and 2027. Our diaspora remits about $25bn annually, so asking for FDI of twice this amount is perfectly reasonable

[5] Wale Edun: Minister of Finance

In my book, this is the number three citizen in the cabinet after the president and vice president. Rather than direct his ministers elsewhere, President Timubu should ask them to make Mr Edun their first point of call. If their plans make no economic sense, they have no business in Aso Rock. Mr Edun should deliver a $1trn economy to us by 2027 or he should regard himself as a shameful failure

[6] Abubakar Kyari: Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development

As we debate diversification, agriculture is the one sector ready to go as we already have the raw materials there. Mr Kyari actually has an easy job. All he has to do is get processing going with a view of making sure that proceeds from the sale of agricultural products match the $25bn we are generating from crude oil annually by 2027. Cocoa, cassava, yam, kolanuts, coco yam, shea nuts, millet, sorghum, cashews, coconuts, etc are all in abundance across Nigeria

[7] Ahmed Dangiwa : Minister of Housing and Urban Development

No country will ever go anywhere without infrastructure. Roads, rail, airports, shopping malls, housing estates, industrial estates, town centres, etc are what fuel economic growth, attract investors and facilitate the movement of goods and services. Maybe minister Dangiwa can start off by telling us how many housing units he intends building annually and how many kilometres of road he will tar each year

[7] Shuaibu Audu: Minister of Steel Development

Whenever I read about Ajaokuta, Aladja, Jos, Osogbo and Katsina steel mills, it is easy to see where Nigeria’s problems lie. We will forever remain a subsistence agrarian economy dependent on crude oil exports as its major revenue source until we start mass producing steel. How do you manufacture machine tools, get factories working and churn out finished goods without steel? Mr Audu must make us a mass steel producer.

[8] Saidu Alkali: Minister of the Interior

Over the last decade, insecurity has taken over Nigeria in an unbelievable manner. Our problems are not external as it is Fulani herdsmen, Boko Haram, kidnappers and armed militia formed by politicians that are causing all the mayhem. President Buhari was reluctant to move against some of these vested interests, so I hope the appointment of Mr Alkali will end this. I really hope he will be able to defy the crime barons and clamp down on these miscreants. He also has to secure our borders by forming a Border Guard to stop weapons entering Nigeria

[10]  Adebayo Adelabu : Minister of Power

We all know the score. Nigeria needs about 250,000MW of power if she is serious about becoming a global industrial giant. Mr Adelabu needs to come up with a programme that includes hydro, thermal, solar, wind and gas powered electricity. He then needs to attract investors into the distribution and transmission network. He has until 2027 to deliver on this. We only currently generate 7,000MW, of which we can distribute just 4,000MW

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