The State of Nigeria’s Economic Reforms

In 2003, following years of economic stagnation, Nigeria embarked on a comprehensive reform agenda to improve the macroeconomic environment, pursue structural reforms, strengthen public expenditure management, and conduct institutional and governance reforms. What has been accomplished in the four years of reform work? What are the notable achievements and what challenges remain? What are the next steps and what are the tangible returns for the Nigerian people, foreign governments, the business and investment communities, and development practitioners?

On March 23, the Brookings Institution hosted a discussion on the current status of Nigerian’s economic reforms with Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, former minister of finance for the Federal Republic of Nigeria and a distinguished fellow at Brookings. Lael Brainard, vice president and director of Brookings’s Global Economy and Development program moderated and Peter Lewis, director of the African Studies program and associate professor at SAIS, was a discussant.

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