POLITICAL COMMITMENT AS A CRITICAL
INGREDIENT FOR AND DRIVER OF A
WORKABLE STI POLICY IN AFRICA:
THE EXPERIENCE FROM NIGERIA
By
Wale Olaopa, Ayo Oyewale, Wumi Hassan & Willie Siyanbola
Paper Presented at the
2012 Eu-SPRI Conference
Held in
Karlsruhe, Germany
June 12 – 13, 2012
OUTLINE
• INTRODUCTION
• THE CONCEPT OF ‘POLITICAL
COMMITMENT’ - IS IT IMPORTANT?
• POLITICAL COMMITMENT: THE CASE OF
NIGERIA’S STI POLICY
• TAKING CONSCIOUS ACTIONS TO BUILD
POLITICAL COMMITMENT AS A KEY STEP
IN FORMULATING STI POLICY IN AFRICA
• ARE THERE BLUEPRINTS OR
APPROACHES THAT HAVE PROVEN TO BE
EFFECTIVE IN BUILDING/MEASURING
POLITICAL COMMITMENT?
• CONCLUSIONS AND RCOMMENDATIONS
INTRODUCTION
• INTEREST IN R&D AND STI POLICY
RESEARCH IS INCREASING AMONG
MAINSTREAM POLITICIANS
– WHY
• NEW TECHNOLOGIES HAVE SIGNIFICANT
IMPACTS ON PRODUCTIVITY GROWTH &
GOVERNANCE
• SOME COUNTRIES PERFORMED BETTER IN
EXPLOITING
TECHNOLOGICAL
OPPORTUNITIES THAN OTHERS
– DUE TO UTILISATION OF EFFECTIVE
POLICY PROGRAMMES
– POLITICAL INTERVENTIONS
Despite this
• POLICY-MAKERS
AND
STAKEHOLDERS
STILL RELY ONLY ON THE THEORETICAL
BASIS OF POLICY FORMULATION PROCESS
POLITICAL COMMITMENT/SUPPORT: IS IT
IMPORTANT?
•
POLITICAL
COMMITMENT/SUPPORT
IS
DEFINED
BROADLY TO INCLUDE MUCH MORE THAN JUST
SENIOR GOVERNMENT LEADERS AND CIVIL SERVANTS.
• IT IMPLIES THE SUPPORT OF A BROAD RANGE OF
CIVIL AND COMMUNITY LEADERS AT ALL LEVELS
OF SOCIETY TO A GIVEN POLICY
• INCLUDES PUBLIC SECTOR, THE PRIVATE SECTOR,
NGOS, RELIGIOUS LEADERS, AND OTHER INFLUENTIAL
CITIZENS AT NATIONAL AND LOCAL LEVELS
BY IMPLICATION, IT MEANS:
• THE CREATION OF A SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR
ANY POLICY AND PROGRAMS (STI INCLUSIVE);
• NOT ONLY THE FORMULATION OF APPROPRIATE
POLICIES AND THE ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES BUT
ALSO THE MOBILIZATION OF A BROAD POLITICAL
CONSENSUS THAT SUCH POLICY AND PROGRAMS ARE
NECESSARY FOR THE WELL-BEING OF SOCIETY (USAID,
2000)
POLITICAL COMMITMENT/SUPPORT: IS IT
IMPORTANT?
• IT IS CRUCIAL TO THE SUCCESSFUL
IMPLEMENTATION OF ANY POLICY
OR PROGRAMS
• PARTICULARLY IN STI TO HARNESS AND
UTILISE SOCIETAL ENDOWMENTS
• SOLVE
AND
ADDRESS
DEVELOPMENTAL
CHALLENGES (ESPECIALLY, THOSE ITEMS OF
THE MDGS
POLITICAL COMMITMENT: THE CASE OF
NIGERIA’S STI POLICY
LOCATION: Longitude 3°& 15°E
Latitude 4° & 14° N
LAND AREA:
POPULATION:
910,768 sq km
Over 140 million
POLITICAL COMMITMENT: THE CASE OF
NIGERIA’S STI POLICY
•
GAPS IDENTIFIED IN PREVIOUS S&T POLICIES INCLUDE
» LIMITED STAKEHOLDERS’ CONTRIBUTIONS
» INADEQUATE PROMOTION OF S&T CULTURE
» NON-HARMONISATION OF S&T POLICY WITH OTHER
SOCIO-ECONOMIC POLICIES
» A BIT UNWIELDY AND RATHER VOLUMINOUS, MORE
OF A COMPENDIUM OF S&T SUB-SECTORAL POLICIES
» LACK INSTITUTIONAL AND LEGAL FRAMEWORK
» ISSUES OF STANDARDIZATION, QUALITY
ASSURANCE AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
NOT ADDRESSED
• MOST IMPORTANTLY - THE LACK OF POLITICAL
COMMITMENT
TO
THE
FORMULATION
AND
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CONTENTS OF THE
POLICY DOCUMENT
RESOLVING THE CHALLENGES
IN THE REVISED STI POLICY

‘INNOVATION’ INCLUDED IN POLICY FOR THE 1ST TIME
 SHIFT IN FOCUS FROM KNOWLEDGE GENERATION
ALONE TO UTILISATION

PARTICIPATORY (BOTTOM-UP) APPROACH INVOLVING
STAKEHOLDERS ENGAGEMENT
 FMST AND AGENCIES/COGNATE MINISTRIES
 ACADEMIA: CVC, ACADEMIES: NAS, NAE
 PRIVATE SECTOR: MAN, LCCI
 THE MILITARY
 NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
 DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS: UNESCO, UNDP, UNIDO

POLITICAL COMMITMENT - STAKEHOLDERS
PLEDGED THEIR SUPPORT TO THE EFFECTIVE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE POLICY, GIVEN THEIR
INVOLVEMENT
RESOLVING THE CHALLENGES
IN THE REVISED STI POLICY

THE
CRITICAL
IMPORTANCE
OF
POLITICAL
COMMITMENT IS CONSPICUOUSLY WRITTEN AND
AFFIRMED BY MR. PRESIDENT’S STATEMENT OF
COMMITMENT AS ESPOUSED IN THE RECENTLY
APPROVED NATIONAL STI POLICY WHERE HE
POSITED THAT:
“WE ARE GOING TO RUN OUR ECONOMY BASED ON
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY….BECAUSE THERE IS
NOWHERE IN THIS WORLD NOW THAT YOU CAN MOVE
YOUR ECONOMY WITHOUT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY.
FOR THE NEXT 4 YEARS WE WILL EMPHASIZE SO MUCH
ON S&T BECAUSE WE HAVE NO CHOICE, WITHOUT THAT
WE ARE JUST DREAMING….”
RESOLVING THE CHALLENGES
IN THE REVISED STI POLICY
• MOVING FROM COMMITMENT TO ACTION:
RESULTS
• EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES FOR S&T HUMAN
CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT
• INTEGRATION OF STI INDICATORS
• PROVISION OF INSTITUTIONAL AND LEGAL
FRAMEWORK FOR STI GOVERNANCE AND
ADMINISTRATION
• ESTABLISHMENT OF
– NATIONAL RESEARCH AND INNOVATION
COUNCIL
– STATE
SCIENCE,
TECHNOLOGY
AND
INNOVATION COUNCIL
– NATIONAL
COUNCIL
ON
SCIENCE,
TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION
– NATIONAL RESEARCH AND INNOVATION
FUND – (ELABORATE FUNDING MECHANISM)
CONSCIOUS EFFORTS OF
POLITICAL COMMITMENT
CONSCIOUS EFFORTS AT BUILDING
POLITICAL COMMITMENT INCLUDES:
•
MAKING STRONG POSITIVE STATEMENTS IN SUPPORT
OF STI BY LEADERS AND STAKEHOLDERS
•
SUPPORTING STATEMENT
TANGIBLE ACTIONS
–
•
WITH
CONCRETE
AND
SUCH ITEMS AS THE EXISTENCE OF A NATIONAL POLICY,
STRATEGIC PLAN, OR HIGHLY PLACED GOVERNMENT PROGRAM AS
QUANTIFIABLE INDICATORS OF ACTIONS FROM THE POLITICAL
LEADERS
SUBJECTING STI POLICY, ENGAGEMENTS AND
PRACTICES TO THE DICTATES, SUPPORTS AND
JUDGMENTS OF ITS ENVIRONMENT SUCH AS
DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN INSTITUTIONS, EXPERTS
AND/OR A PANEL OF KNOWLEDGEABLE INDIVIDUALS
AND GROUPS AS COMPOSITE INDICATOR
HAVE THESE
ACTIONS/EFFORTS/APPROACHES EFFECTIVE
IN MEASURING POLITICAL COMMITMENT?
• NOOOOOO!
• AND WHY ARE THEY INEFFECTIVE?
• MOST OF THE REASONS FOR THE
INEFFECTIVENESS IDENTIFIED BY USAID (2000)
ARE
• STATEMENTS MADE BY LEADERS USUALLY
ENTAILS COUNTING THE NO OF POSITIVE
STATEMENTS MADE BY NATIONAL LEADERS
AS REPORTED IN NATIONAL NEWSPAPERS
SUFFERS FROM SEVERAL PROBLEMS :
» THE NUMBER OF STATEMENTS OFTEN IS
RELATED MORE TO SPECIAL EVENTS
THAN TO COMMITMENT
» LEADERS MAY SUPPORT PROGRAMS
VERBALLY BUT THEN FAIL TO FOLLOW
THROUGH WITH ACTION
HAVE THESE
ACTIONS/EFFORTS/APPROACHES EFFECTIVE
IN MEASURING POLITICAL COMMITMENT?
•
QUANTIFIABLE INDICATORS OF ACTIONS (SUCH AS
THE
EXISTENCE
OF
A
NATIONAL
POLICY,
ADEQUATE FUNDING SYSTEM, STRATEGIC PLAN, OR
HIGHLY PLACED GOVERNMENT PROGRAM) ARE
EASY TO TRACK, BUT THEY SUFFER SOME
SHORTCOMINGS
–
–
–
–
–
–
THEY PROVIDE LITTLE INFORMATION ABOUT THE
QUALITY OF THE STI POLICY, PLAN, OR PROGRAM
THEY
MEASURES
AN
ASPECT
OF
POLITICAL
COMMITMENT
(FUNDING) THAT IS EASY TO
MEASURE.
FUNDING CAN BE TRACKED OVER TIME AND
COMPARED ACROSS COUNTRIES, INFORMATION ON
FUNDING CAN BE DIFFICULT TO OBTAIN
FUNDING FOR STI IN SOME COUNTRIES OR STATES
OFTEN INCLUDE DONOR FUNDS
STI FUNDS SPREAD 0VER SEVERAL MINISTRIES LIKE
EDUCATION, HEALTH, INDUSTRY
DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE THE STI PROPORTION OF
SUCH ITEMS AS SALARY COSTS, FACILITIES, ETC.
WITHIN NATIONAL EXPENDITURES.
HAVE THESE
ACTIONS/EFFORTS/APPROACHES EFFECTIVE
IN MEASURING POLITICAL COMMITMENT?
•
•
SUBJECTING STI POLICY, ENGAGEMENTS AND
PRACTICES TO THE DICTATES, SUPPORTS AND
JUDGMENTS OF ITS ENVIRONMENT SUCH AS
DOMESTIC
AND
FOREIGN
INSTITUTIONS,
EXPERTS
AND/OR
A
PANEL
OF
KNOWLEDGEABLE INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS
COULD PROVIDE A COMPOSITE INDICATOR.
IT ASSESSES ALL ASPECTS OF POLITICAL
COMMITMENT BUT:
– SINCE IT RELIES ON THE JUDGMENTS OF
THE DIFFERENTLY SELECTED RESPONDENTS
WITH CONSIDERABLE VARIATION IN THEIR
RESPONSES
» THIS MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO MEASURE
AND DETERMINE ITS PATTERNS OVER
TIME
ARE THERE BLUEPRINTS/APPROACHES THAT
ARE EFFECTIVE IN MEASURING POLITICAL
COMMITMENT?
• POLITICAL COMMITMENT CAN BE
MEASURED
BY
SEVERAL
APPROACHES
– NONE
OF
THEM
SEEM
EFFECTIVE AND PERFECT
TO
BE
– QUANTITATIVE APPROACHES FOCUS ON SINGLE
MANIFESTATION OF COMMITMENT
– THE MORE COMPREHENSIVE APPROACHES RELY
BASICALLY ON VALUE JUDGEMENT
– THE AMOUNT OF NATIONAL RESOURCES COMMITTED
TO STI PROGRAMS WOULD BE A GOOD INDICATOR
PROVIDED THAT ADEQUATE INFORMATION ARE
READILY AVAILABLE.
DOES THIS MEAN MEASURING POLITICAL
COMMITMENT IS NOT IMPORTANT?
• REASONS FOR MEASURING
POLITICAL COMMITMENT:
• TO UNDERSTAND WHETHER CURRENT LEVELS OF
COMMITMENT ARE ADEQUATE OR NOT
• TO INDICATE THE AREAS WHERE COMMITMENT
ARE STRONG AND WHERE THEY ARE WEAK
• TO MEASURE THE AMOUNT OF CHANGE IN
POLITICAL
COMMITMENT
IN
ORDER
TO
UNDERSTAND
TRENDS
AND
WHETHER
ACTIVITIES HAVE HAD AN IMPACT (USAID, 2000)
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
•
THE INADEQUACIES THAT CHARACTERISED THE
MEASUREMENT OF POLITICAL COMMITMENT
NOTWITHSTANDING
– A FOCUS ON POLITICAL COMMITMENT WOULD BE MORE
USEFUL IN DRIVING ANY DEVELOPMENT-LED (STI
INCLUSIVE) POLICY THAN SIMPLE EXHORTATIONS FOR
ADHERENCE TO THEORETICAL STAGES OF PUBLIC POLICY
MAKING AND IMPLEMENTATION
– THE PERFORMANCE OR EFFECTIVENESS OF ANY PUBLIC
POLICY IS DEPENDENT ON ITS FORMULATION AND
IMPLEMENTATION PROCESSES, WHICH ARE FUNCTIONS OF
THE COMPLEX NETWORKS OF POLITICAL BARGAINING,
LOBBYING OR ‘ADVOCACY’ AND COMPROMISES AMONGST
NATIONAL AND LOCAL POLITICAL ELITES
– THEREFORE, FOR EFFECTIVE STI POLICY, BUILDING
POLITICAL
COMMITMENT
THROUGH
BROAD
PARTICIPATION IN THE POLICY PROCESS IS A
CRITICAL FACTOR
–
THE MORE THE STAKEHOLDERS ARE ENGAGED IN POLICY
DIALOGUE, PLANNING, AND EVALUATION, THE GREATER THE
CHANCES FOR AN EFFECTIVE RESPONSE TO THE UTILISATION
AND IMPLEMENTATION OF SUCH POLICY
BRIEF ABOUT NACETEM
• The National Centre for Technology Management
(NACETEM)
– Established by the Federal Government of Nigeria under UNESCO
initiatives in September 1992 as a Parastatal of the Federal Ministry
of Science and Technology, and was cited in the Obafemi Awolowo
University
• Mission
– To play a leading role in the build-up of expertise for effective
Science, Technology and Innovation Management and to actively
engage in Policy Research, Design, Evaluation and Review
• Vision
– To be an internationally recognised Centre of Excellence in Science
Technology and Innovation Management for sustainable
development
Website: www.nacetem.org
MAJOR ACTIVITIES OF NACETEM
• Policy-Oriented Research
• Manpower Development
• Consultancy
Website: www.nacetem.org
ACTIVITIES OF NACETEM (CONTD)
POLICY-ORIENTED
RESEARCH
POLICY REVIEW
POLICY FORMULATION
POLICY APPRAISAL
Website: www.nacetem.org
ACTIVITIES OF NACETEM (CONTD)
TRAINING
SHORT-TERM COURSES
PGD PROGRAMME
WORKSHOPS
&
CONFERENCES
Website: www.nacetem.org
THANK YOU FOR YOUR
ATTENTION!