One of the greatest challenges of public policy in developing countries is not necessarily the shortage of resources but the disconnect between government decisions and the actual needs of the people. For many years, development planning in Nigeria largely followed a top-down approach in which government officials designed projects from their offices and expected communities to accept and utilise them. While this model produced some successes, it also resulted in numerous projects that failed to achieve their intended objectives because the beneficiaries were not sufficiently involved in determining what they actually needed.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is increasingly demonstrating that there is a better alternative. Under the leadership of the Minister of the FCT, Barr. Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, a noticeable shift has occurred towards participatory governance, particularly in rural infrastructure planning. Communities are increasingly consulted and encouraged to identify their priority needs and recommend the most appropriate locations for projects before implementation begins. This simple but transformative approach is gradually redefining the relationship between government and citizens.
From the perspective of Public Administration and Policy Analysis, this represents the practical application of Bottom-Up Policy Formulation, a model that recognises local communities as partners rather than passive recipients of government programmes. Instead of assuming that policymakers possess all the answers, the approach acknowledges that those who live with developmental challenges every day are often best positioned to identify practical and sustainable solutions.
This philosophy is strongly supported by the Advocacy Coalition Framework developed by Paul Sabatier, which emphasises collaboration among stakeholders in shaping public policy. It is equally reinforced by Bottom-Up Implementation Theory, championed by Richard Elmore and the work of Michael Lipsky on street-level bureaucracy, which argues that successful public policies emerge when those closest to implementation and the intended beneficiaries actively influence policy decisions. The approach also reflects the principles of Participatory Governance Theory, which advocates shared decision-making between government and citizens.
These theories stand in sharp contrast to the traditional Top-Down Policy Model, associated with scholars such as Daniel Mazmanian and Paul Sabatier in their earlier implementation work, where policy objectives are formulated centrally with limited consultation. While top-down policymaking can be effective for national emergencies and highly technical issues, it often struggles when local realities differ significantly from assumptions made by decision-makers.
The history of development planning in the FCT provides valuable lessons on the limitations of policies designed without sustained engagement with intended beneficiaries. One notable example is the Jibi Resettlement Scheme.
The Jibi Resettlement Scheme provides a striking example of what can happen when development planning fails to sufficiently carry intended beneficiaries along. Conceived to relocate communities affected by the development of Phase II of the Federal Capital City, construction of the scheme commenced in 1999 and was substantially completed by 2002, with the expectation that thousands of affected households would be moved to the new settlement.
But the relocation did not happen as planned. The Original Inhabitants, for whom the scheme was developed, rejected the arrangement, largely because they had not been adequately consulted or involved in its planning. Greater community engagement could have helped planners understand the peculiar structure of the affected families, including their varying household sizes, cultural realities and specific resettlement needs. Their inputs could have shaped the design of the houses and the overall layout of the settlement, making the scheme more responsive to the people it was meant to serve.
With the intended beneficiaries unwilling to move and the scheme left largely unoccupied, the buildings were eventually taken over by the Nigeria Police Force, effectively changing the original purpose of the project.
The Jibi experience remains an important lesson for policymakers. Development initiatives are more likely to succeed when the people for whom they are designed are involved from the beginning. When communities are treated merely as recipients rather than partners in the development process, even well-intentioned projects can face resistance, costly adjustments and, in some cases, a complete departure from their original objectives.
It is a powerful reminder that effective policymaking is not only about what government intends to do for the people; it is also about listening to the people and understanding what they actually need.
The current administration in the FCT has adopted a markedly different approach. Across the Area Councils, communities have been encouraged to identify and prioritise the roads and infrastructure that matter most to their social and economic well-being. Rather than imposing projects from the centre, government officials have listened to rural dwellers, whose firsthand knowledge of their communities has guided project selection. The result is the construction and rehabilitation of numerous rural access roads that directly reflect the priorities identified by the people themselves, thereby improving mobility, agricultural productivity, access to markets, healthcare and education.
One particularly remarkable demonstration of this participatory governance model occurred during one of the Minister’s inspection tours. While interacting directly with residents, community members passionately appealed for the construction of the Kagini–Kabba Road and the Zaudna Road, explaining the hardships they had endured over the years. After listening to their concerns firsthand, the Minister gave an on-the-spot approval, on behalf of the President, for the commencement of both road projects. The decision reflected a leadership style that values direct engagement with citizens and underscores the importance of allowing community needs to shape government priorities.
This is policy formulation at its most practical. Instead of waiting for recommendations to pass through several bureaucratic layers before action is taken, government listened directly to the people, assessed the evidence on the ground and responded to clearly articulated community priorities. The roads were not merely government projects; they were projects conceived from the aspirations of the communities themselves.
This approach embodies the principle that those who experience development challenges daily should help shape the policies designed to address them. It also aligns with the contemporary concept of co-production in public service delivery, where government and citizens jointly create public value through collaboration.
The benefits are already becoming evident. Community participation strengthens ownership, reduces resistance during implementation, improves accountability, minimises waste and ensures that scarce public resources are invested where they deliver the greatest impact.
Because communities participate in identifying their priorities, completed projects are embraced, protected and utilised by the beneficiaries.
As a student of Public Administration and Policy Analysis, I consider this evolution in governance one of the most significant policy innovations currently taking place in the Federal Capital Territory. It demonstrates that effective governance is not measured solely by the number of projects commissioned but by the extent to which citizens influence the decisions that shape their lives.
The FCT is gradually providing an important lesson for public administration in Nigeria: sustainable development begins with listening. Policies conceived with communities rather than merely for communities are more likely to succeed, endure and earn public confidence.
The future of governance in Nigeria lies in moving beyond government acting for the people to government working with the people.
The participatory approach being demonstrated in the Federal Capital Territory offers a compelling model of inclusive governance, evidence-based policymaking and responsive leadership. It is a model that deserves serious consideration by policymakers across Nigeria as they seek to build policies that are not only well designed but also genuinely owned by the people they are intended to serve.
Dr. Jumai Ahmadu is the Director, Reform Coordination and Service Improvement Department, (RC&SID), FCTA.
jumaiabuahmadu@yahoo.com
