Abuja:Dr. Alim Abubakre, founder of TEXEM, UK, senior lecturer at Sheffield Business School, and board director of the Business Council for Africa, has emphasized the need for Nigeria to focus on building strong institutions rather than solely relying on resilience. Speaking in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) to mark Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary, Abubakre highlighted the importance of creating systems that enable citizens and businesses to thrive without needing extraordinary improvisation.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, Abubakre believes Nigeria’s main challenge is not a lack of talent, ambition, or enterprise, but rather the country’s limited ability to convert human capability into institutions that consistently deliver results. He pointed out that while Nigeria has survived numerous challenges, including civil war and economic disruptions, the goal now should be to create institutions that foster continuous progress beyond the influence of individual leaders or political cycles.
Abubakre remarked on the contradiction between the global success of Nigerians in various fields and the country’s internal systemic shortcomings. He stressed the necessity of building institutions that can harness Nigerian talent domestically, acknowledging that the country’s diversity could be a significant advantage if national institutions could inspire the same confidence that Nigerians place in familial and local networks.
He also drew attention to the country’s telecommunications transformation as a model for other sectors, noting that Nigerians rapidly adopted mobile technology when infrastructure improved. This experience, he argued, highlights the need for enabling systems in areas like electricity, broadband, and education.
Abubakre further noted Nigeria’s cultural influence through Afrobeats, Nollywood, and other creative industries as an underutilized economic asset. He advocated for a strategic connection between this cultural power and sectors such as tourism, technology, and exports, emphasizing that culture should be viewed as economic infrastructure.
On the topic of the diaspora, Abubakre urged a shift from viewing it merely as a source of remittances to recognizing it as a network of knowledge and influence. He questioned why Nigerian talent often becomes more productive in better-functioning systems and suggested that understanding these differences could enhance Nigeria’s development.
Abubakre also pointed out the frequent loss of progress due to weak institutional memory, calling for continuity and stronger institutional records to prevent momentum loss when key individuals leave positions. He urged states to focus on production and competitiveness, viewing them as potential laboratories for development.
Furthermore, Abubakre addressed the informal economy, advocating for formal participation that adds value and improves access to finance and new markets. He warned against viewing resilience as a permanent economic model, suggesting that it should not replace the need for robust public systems.
Finally, Abubakre emphasized the need for productive cities that do not impose hidden costs on national productivity. He concluded by stating that Nigeria’s future should not rely on exceptional individuals to rescue weak systems but rather on building enduring institutions that turn isolated excellence into national capability.