A former Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Ms. Ifueko Okauru, has urged the incoming government to adopt policies that promote collective economic growth. She emphasized the need for an enabling environment that allows the private sector to thrive, which would also help reduce unemployment. Speaking at the Harvard Kennedy School Alumni Association of Nigeria’s dinner, Okauru addressed an audience that included 64 students from 24 countries participating in the Africa Policy trek.
For the first time, Nigeria hosted the “Harvard trek,” offering students with backgrounds in public policy and government administration the opportunity to interact, learn, and understand policies in the countries they visit. Okauru stressed that “the economy is at the heart of propelling a better quality of life for every Nigerian. Whatever we do must translate to a higher level of disposable income for everyone to live, at the very minimum, a decent life.” She added that without focusing on economic growth, job creation, and tangible outcomes, discussions remain abstract and fail to reflect the lived experiences of ordinary citizens.
She also highlighted the role of the Harvard Kennedy School, noting that it “is a public‑policy, government‑intervention part of Harvard University that helps build people who will return to their countries and influence public policy, driving government in a manner that positions nations at a much higher level.”
On the sidelines, President of the Harvard Kennedy School Alumni Association of Nigeria, Adaora Ugwu, explained that about 64 students and faculty from Cambridge have come to Nigeria on what they call an Africa Policy trek. “This trek takes them to Nigeria and Ghana, where they learn about the country, talk to the public and private sectors, and seek to understand governance, policy, and culture. They visited Accra first and now they are in Nigeria.”
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