FG warns MDAs against non-performance, demands accountability

A cross-section of participants at the MDA High-Level Strategic Engagement and Press Briefing hosted by the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja. Photo Credit: PEBEC

The Federal Government has warned Ministries, Departments and Agencies against poor performance, insisting that public institutions must demonstrate accountability and deliver measurable results in line with President Bola Tinubu’s zero-tolerance stance on non-performance.

The Director-General of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council, Princess Zahrah Mustapha Audu, gave the warning at the MDA High-Level Strategic Engagement and Press Briefing hosted by the Federal Ministry of Finance.

Audu disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday.

The engagement, organised under the theme, “MDA Data Collection & Harmonisation,” brought together key government stakeholders to discuss institutional performance, data management and compliance with government reforms.

Audu presented findings from the Business Environment Enhancement Programme Accelerator, highlighting progress by federal MDAs and areas where performance fell short of expectations.

The assessment showed that 16 MDAs achieved full implementation of the reforms evaluated.

However, recent mystery shopping findings revealed a decline in responsiveness after active monitoring ended.

The development raised concerns about the sustainability of reforms and the commitment of some agencies to maintaining standards without continuous supervision.

• ADC’ll build Gelegele, other seaports if elected, Amaechi vows
• Presidency, Edo APC knock Amaechi over ‘mad’ voters comment
• FG moves 2026 unfinished projects into 2027 budget

Addressing heads of MDAs, Audu reminded them that the ongoing mystery shopping exercises, live performance tracker and forthcoming end-of-year Business Facilitation Act Compliance Ranking would keep their performance under scrutiny.

She emphasised that the monitoring mechanisms were designed to provide continuous visibility into institutional performance, identify service delivery gaps and ensure that agencies remained accountable for their reform commitments.

“The message was clear: performance monitoring is continuous, compliance is measurable, and MDAs must be prepared to account for their results.

“The engagement also reinforced the Federal Ministry of Finance’s increasing emphasis on institutional performance, with the Ministry expected to consider the performance, responsiveness and reform compliance of government agencies in its engagements and dealings with them.

“This approach aligns with Mr President’s zero-tolerance stance on non-performance and the Federal Government’s determination to ensure that public institutions deliver measurable results and improved services to citizens and businesses,” the statement said.

The Business Facilitation Act provides a framework for improving the ease of doing business in Nigeria through reforms aimed at making government processes more efficient and responsive.

PEBEC said it would continue to deploy mystery shopping, real-time digital tracking, compliance assessments and data-driven performance monitoring to strengthen transparency and identify implementation gaps.

The Council stressed that the priority was to translate reform commitments into sustainable outcomes, adding that compliance on paper alone was no longer sufficient.