MDAs warned against non-performance

The Federal Government has cautioned Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) against poor performance, asserting that public institutions must show accountability and deliver tangible results in line with President Bola Tinubu's zero-tolerance approach to non-performance. At the MDA High-Level Strategic Engagement and Press Briefing held by the Federal Ministry of Finance, Princess Zahrah Mustapha-Audu, Director-General of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council, issued this warning.

The event, themed "MDA Data Collection & Harmonisation," gathered government stakeholders to discuss performance, data management, and adherence to government reforms.

Audu shared data from the Business Environment Enhancement Programme Accelerator, indicating that 16 MDAs had fully implemented the reforms assessed, while others were falling short of expectations. However, recent mystery shopping findings suggested a decline in responsiveness following the cessation of active monitoring. This situation raises concerns about the long-term sustainability of reforms and the commitment of certain agencies to maintaining standards without ongoing supervision.

During her address to MDA heads, Mustapha-Audu reminded them that ongoing mystery shopping exercises, a live performance tracker, and the upcoming end-of-year Business Facilitation Act Compliance Ranking would monitor their performance. She stressed that these monitoring mechanisms were designed to provide continuous visibility into institutional performance, identify service delivery gaps, and ensure agencies remained accountable for their reform commitments.

The monitoring approach underscores the Federal Ministry of Finance's growing focus on institutional performance, which aligns with President Tinubu's zero-tolerance stance on non-performance and the government's commitment to ensuring public institutions deliver measurable results and enhanced services to citizens and businesses.