Taking bold and decisive steps is nothing new with the Buhari administration. The vision behind the 7 Big Wins is not just ambitious talk but a set guideline for continuity in a nation that inherently needs it at the moment.
With the focus on transparency and efficiency, as well as the commitment to the Niger Delta, the roadmap provides huge investment opportunity in infrastructure development, oil and gas facilities, operations and maintenance across the entire value chain. While the 7 Big Wins is a five-year plan with short to medium focused goals, that does not mean that some accomplishments have not been realized.
INCREASING TRANSPARENCY WHILE TRIMMING THE FAT
“The world is dynamic and you must respond with more modern and proactive ways of doing things,” explained President Buhari. “Which is why we restructured the NNPC meet current realities.” The reorganization of the NNPC into a focused, accountable and transparent institution with autonomous Units resulted in a reduction of operational deficits by over 50%. “The upstream sector is not immune to what is happening globally, in terms of major challenges – price,” emphasized Group Managing Director Dr. Maikanti Kacalla Baru. “We’ve done as much to cut down on costs to make it more profitable. Service providers also have been cooperating but we have to be more efficient and also use new technologies.”
While improving transparency, it’s been a key goal to trim the fat while helping those in need. To stimulate the economy and reduce poverty, President Buhari approved deferment in the payment of the bailout as states were still reeling under the burden of the fall in commodity prices. More importantly, records of more than 34,000 ghost workers draining the nation’s resources were expunged from the Federal Civil Service, saving N2.29 billion monthly.
The task of fixing Nigeria has not been easy for President Buhari and his team after inheriting a collapsed failed state. Nevertheless, the administration has recorded progress in the task it set for itself – promoting economic growth, ensuring safety and security, and fighting corruption.
The number seven has a unique characteristic of representing something extraordinary and while Buhari’s Nigeria is still years away from reaching the end of its roadmap, its little wins provide a glimpse that the Big wins will be of great significance to the nation.
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