Abuja, Nigeria — Nigerian economic development hinges on the critical “marriage” between politics and economics, according to Professor Okey Onuchuku, Acting Vice-Chancellor of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education. Speaking while chairing the Noble Laureate Plenary at the 66th annual conference of the Nigerian Economic Society (NES), the Professor of Econometrics warned that even the most meticulously crafted economic policies will fail without the political will to implement them.
Professor Onuchuku, a one-time Vice President of the NES, argued that this disconnect is a major reason for the lack of economic transformation in many African nations. He stated that achieving sustainable growth requires a “re-gig” of both political and economic institutions. To bridge this gap, he proposed a strategic solution: integrating representatives from the Nigerian Economic Society into the country’s economic team.
He emphasized that economics and politics are inseparable. “The political will to implement sound economic policies by political leaders must be an integral part and component of rethinking African’s development strategies,” he said.
For his insightful contributions to the plenary, Professor Onuchuku was presented with an award, recognizing his significant role in steering the high-level discussion on the future of African economies.
