Federal Government Agencies to be scrapped or merged as per Steve Oronsaye report

The Special Adviser Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has released the list of federal government agencies that will be scrapped or merged as per the new directive given by President Bola Tinubu. This directive follows the full implementation of the 2012 Steve Oronsaye report, which was ordered by Tinubu.

Back in 2011, former President Goodluck Jonathan established the presidential committee on government agency reform, chaired by Steven Oronsaye. The committee’s task was to review the enabling Acts and mandates of federal agencies, parastatals, and commissions to identify areas of overlap or duplication of functions. Their recommendations included reducing the number of statutory agencies from 263 to 161, abolishing 38, merging 52, and reverting 14 to departments in ministries. However, the majority of these recommendations were rejected by a white paper committee led by the-Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Mohammed Adoke.

In 2021, former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration inaugurated two committees to implement the Oronsaye report. One committee, headed by Bukar Aji, was tasked with reviewing the report and the government white paper. The other committee, chaired by Amal Pepple, was mandated to review the ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) created between 2014 and 2021.

In a press statement issued by Onanuga on Monday evening, he listed 14 agencies and commissions that will be affected by this directive.

Agencies to be abolished

1. The Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate will be abolished, and its functions will be transferred to the Federal Ministry of Finance.
2. The National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC) will be abolished, and its functions will be transferred to the Department of Basic and Secondary Education in the Federal Ministry of Education.

Agencies to be consolidated

1. The National Agency for the Control of Aids (NACA) will be merged under the Centre for Disease Control in the Federal Ministry of Health.
2. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) will be merged with the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons [NCFRMI].
3. The Directorate of Technical Cooperation in Africa (DTCA) will be merged with the Directorate of Technical Aid (DTAC) and will function as a department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
4. The Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission (ICRC) will be merged with the Bureau for Public Enterprise (BPE).
5. The Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) will be merged with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC).
6. The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) will be merged with the National Centre for Agriculture Mechanization (NCAM) and the Project Development Institute (PRODA).
7. The National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) will be merged with the National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology (NACGRAB).
8. The National Institute for Leather Science Technology (NILEST) will be merged with the National Institute for Chemical Technology (NARICT).
9. The Nomadic Education Commission (NEC) will be merged with the National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult Education, and Non-Formal Education.
10. The Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) will be merged with the Voice of Nigeria (VON).
11. The National Commission for Museums and Monuments will be merged with the National Gallery of Arts.
12. The National Theatre will be merged with the National Troupe of Nigeria.
13. The National Metallurgical Development Centre (NMDC) will be merged with the National Metallurgical Training Institute.
14. The Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) will merge with the Nigerian Army University (NAUB).
15. The Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) will merge with the Airforce Institute of Technology (AFIT).

Federal Government Agencies to be subsumed under other agencies, ministeries and parastatals

1. The Service Compact with all Nigerians (SERVICOM) will be incorporated as a department under the Bureau for Public Service Reforms (BPSR).
2. The Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA) will be incorporated as a department under the National Boundary Commission (NBC).
3. The National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission (NSIWC) will be incorporated into the Revenue Mobilization & Fiscal Allocation Commission (RMAFC).
4. The Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution will be incorporated under the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA).
5. The Public Complaints Commission (PCC) will be incorporated under the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
6. The Nigerian Institute for Trypanosomiasis (NITR) will be incorporated into the Institute of Veterinary Research (VOM).
7. The Nigerian Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA) will be incorporated under the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD).
8. The National Intelligence Agency Pension Commission will be incorporated under the administration of the Nigerian Pension Commission (PenCom).
9. The Nigerian Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) will be incorporated as a department in the Ministry of Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy.

Federal Government Agencies to be relocated

• The Niger Delta Powerholding Company (NDHC) will be relocated to the Ministry of Power.
• The National Agricultural Land Development Agency (NALDA) will be relocated to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
• The National Blood Service Commission will be converted into an Agency and relocated to the Federal Ministry of Health.
• The Nigerians in the Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) will be converted into an Agency and transferred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.