Former Managing Director of Citizens International Bank and Assurance Bank of Nigeria, Chikatara Mbonu, has shared insights on addressing Nigeria’s economic instability, citing inconsistent reforms, duplicated policies, and an unstable national development plan as key contributors.

Speaking in Ibadan during a lecture titled “Blueprint of Progress: What Nigeria Can Learn from Global Systems and Leadership”, Mbonu stressed that economic stability will remain elusive until Nigeria embraces continuity in policy, akin to how engineers respect load calculations.

The lecture was part of the 10th Rev. Engr. Ette I. I. Etteh Annual Distinguished Lecture Series and coincided with the launch of the book “Christ the Greatest Connector” by Rev. Engr. Ette Ikpong Ikpong Etteh. The event was organized in collaboration with the Nigerian Institution of Civil Engineers (NICE).

Key Insights from Mbonu:

• Corruption and Short-term Thinking: A culture of favoritism and the perception of government resources as a “national cake” continue to hinder growth.
• Learning from Successful Nations: Countries like Singapore, China, UAE, Malaysia, South Korea, and Rwanda succeed due to long-term planning, merit-based leadership, institutional strength, and national discipline. Nigeria, by contrast, frequently shifts policies with each new administration.
• Education Reform: Ethics, discipline, civic duty, punctuality, financial literacy, and maintenance culture should be embedded in education from primary to tertiary levels.
• Judicial Transparency: Development is impossible where criminals go unpunished; the government must ensure transparent, automated court systems with zero interference.
• Public Accountability: Every public officer should maintain a public dashboard showing assets, project performance, disciplinary records, and rewards.
• Technical and Vocational Training: Nigeria needs more technical schools, digital literacy programs, and teacher retraining.
• Infrastructure Development: National projects should include rail connections, consistent power supply, gas-to-power expansion, and urban planning that targets 2050 population realities.
• Youth Preparedness: With Nigeria projected to have the world’s third-largest youth population by 2035, investment in employable skills, digital jobs, and manufacturing capacity is critical.

Mbonu emphasized that without ethics, institutional strength, and long-term planning, Nigeria’s natural resources and population potential will remain underutilized.

Highlighting Professional Standards:

Chairman Engr. Yusuf Sagaya praised Rev. Engr. Ette Ikpong Ikpong Etteh for establishing high standards in Nigerian engineering practice. Sagaya noted that strict peer review and senior approval at Etteh Aro & Partners ensure quality, a practice he believes could improve national professional output.