New Public Management Reform in Africa

Abstract

This chapter outlines some elements of New Public Management (NPM) reform in the sub-Saharan Africa and assesses their successes and failures. It highlights different aspects of NPM such as agencification, civil service reforms, decentralisation, and privatisation in South Africa, Ghana, Uganda, and Tanzania. The reality of NPM reform in the continent, specifically in sub-Saharan Africa, needs to be evaluated with caution because of political instability; democratic elections and regime change transform the system of governance. One major reform that took place in most of sub-Saharan Africa was the implementation of decentralisation of government. Administrative decentralisation within local authorities requires competency from those who manage local institutions. The introduction of fiscal decentralisation in sub-Saharan Africa can improve the efficiency of public service in local communities. Local government service delivery can be improved in most countries when there is fiscal decentralisation, the achievement of which requires the participation of the local community.