Pat Utomi, a political economist and critic, has said he would drastically reduce the “cost of governance” in Nigeria if he were President Bola Tinubu in order to allow his ongoing economic reforms to yield better results.

Mr Utomi, a professor of Social and Political Economy and Environment, who frowned at the overbloated earnings of political office holders in the country, described the current expenditure under Mr Tinubu as excessively high and unsustainable.

“I would dramatically slice the cost of governance in Nigeria. It is way too high. If I were Tinubu as President, will use industrious policy to stimulate production. We are not doing enough to stimulate production. Active industrious policy,” Mr. Utomi said on Sunday while speaking on Channels TV. 

According to him, the priority of any administration in power should be to deploy deliberate and active industrial policies to stimulate local production and revive the economy.

He criticised what he described as Nigeria’s overreliance on external forces to drive economic growth, noting that the country often looks to Washington, D.C., rather than developing homegrown solutions.

“We are waiting on Washington, D.C., to stimulate our economy. We should study how Asian countries stimulate their own economies and adapt those strategies. We are simply not doing enough,” Mr Utomi added.

The former presidential candidate also stressed the need for economic interventions to reach the grassroots, arguing that inclusive governance is critical to sustainable development.

“I would go to the local levels. First, I would ensure that we are all in the same room fixing things. There is too much division in the country,” he said.

Mr Utomi argued that national consensus and inclusion were essential to the success of industrial policies, especially at the grassroots.

“Inclusion facilitates industrial policies. Look at countries like Ethiopia and what they have managed to achieve. But here in Nigeria, we allow politics to take over everything while the people continue to suffer,” he maintained.

He urged leaders to shift focus from political rivalry to service delivery, stressing the need to prioritise the welfare of citizens.

“Let us think about consensus. Let us think about how best to serve the people,” Mr Utomi added.