Shamsuddeen Usman Blames Nigeria’s Stalled Progress on Leaders’ Betrayal of Public Trust

Former Minister of Finance and National Planning, Dr. Shamsuddeen Usman, has said Nigeria’s development is being held back by the consistent betrayal of public trust by elected officials who have abandoned their duty to serve the people. Dr. Usman made the statement during the presentation of his new book, Public Policy and Agent Interests, in Kano, where he pointed to the failure of public office holders to uphold the social contract as the root of the country’s stagnation. He said despite Nigeria’s vast human and natural resources, the nation remains underdeveloped because leaders have prioritised personal, political, and financial interests over public good. “This book was not written in the quiet comfort of retirement. It was born from a persistent, and often painful, question that has followed me throughout my career: Why is Nigeria, a nation so blessed, still falling short of its potential?” he asked. Using Kano as an example, Dr. Usman said the state, once a centre of commerce and scholarship, has faced declining development, political paralysis, and increasing disillusionment among the youth in the last 25 years. He explained that the country suffers from what is known in economics as the “principal-agent problem”, where those entrusted with power — the agents — forget that they are supposed to work for the people — the principals. “It is about the betrayal of a sacred trust — what we can call in Hausa, rashin rikon amana,” he said. Dr. Usman highlighted the real-world effects of this broken trust, including over 20 million children out of school, mostly in Northern Nigeria, unplanned urban sprawl lacking basic infrastructure, and the poor execution of key development projects. According to him, the greatest damage is not just in failed policies, but in the erosion of trust between the government and the people. “When our youths see a system that rewards political connection over competence, they lose faith. The danger is not only that they stop believing in the system — it's that they begin to accept failure and corruption as normal,” he warned. Dr. Usman called on Nigerian leaders to recommit to the true purpose of governance — service to the people — and work towards rebuilding trust as the foundation for national progress.