The Nigerian state and the realities of managing COVID-19 pandemic: whither political restructuring and economic diversification?

Abstract

ABSTRACT The discovery and the swift rise in the COVID-19 confirmed cases in almost all the countries of the world including Nigeria, is one of the greatest public health challenges that has affected the foundation of the global system in an unprecedented manner. How effective a government responds to public health emergencies is dependent on the state capabilities and capacities, including the existing structures, facilities, available manpower, policy coordination and sustainable finances. This study, therefore, analyzes the effectiveness of state capacity in the containment of the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria. Relying on the operational, fiscal and political components of the state’s capacity, this study argues that the containment measures of the Nigerian state were drastically limited by lack of trust, over-centralization of policy responses and declining revenue occasioned by structural and institutional deficiencies. The study adopted a qualitative approach anchored on the documentary and content analysis methods and ex-post facto research design. Based on the findings, the study renews the call for political restructuring and economic diversification as the desiderata for strengthening the overall capacities of the Nigerian state in managing emergency situations.