Author
Dr Adewunmi Ade Adeyemi, Deputy Director, Forestry, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems
A reform can be approved, a policy adopted and a new institutional structure announced, yet the problem it was designed to solve may remain. This is the difficult reality of public-sector transformation. The real work begins when good ideas meet established systems, competing interests and the people who are expected to bring change to life. My experience as a public servant involved in institutional reform has taught me that moving from design to delivery requires more than sound technical solutions. It requires trust, patience, collaboration and an unwavering commitment to the public interest.
This is why the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation’s Public Sector Convening theme, “Unblocking Reform: From Design to Delivery,” resonates with me. It reflects a fundamental lesson from the frontline of reform: the success of an idea depends not only on its design but also on how effectively people and institutions work together to implement it.
Understanding the People Behind the Process
Government institutions are not blank slates. They have established procedures, professional cultures, informal networks and people who have spent years building careers and expertise within them. When reform changes responsibilities, institutional relationships or existing ways of working, questions naturally arise. Will my expertise remain relevant? What happens to the work we have built? Will the change improve service delivery or simply create another layer of administration?
These concerns should not automatically be dismissed as resistance. Sometimes, what appears to be opposition is valuable information about institutional realities, legitimate anxieties or unintended consequences that the original design failed to consider.
I have learned to see pushback as feedback. This does not mean every objection should determine the direction of reform. Rather, reform leaders must listen carefully enough to distinguish between concerns that deserve attention, assumptions that need clarification and interests that must be managed. Listening does not weaken reform; it can make implementation more effective.
The pace of change matters, too. While there is understandable pressure to demonstrate quick results, rushing institutional reform can create avoidable anxiety, misunderstandings and opposition. Stakeholders need to understand what is changing, why it is necessary and what the transition means for them. Taking time to communicate and consult is not the same as delaying reform indefinitely. It is about moving deliberately while maintaining momentum.
Transparency is equally important. When information is limited, assumptions flourish, and uncertainty can quickly become distrust. Clear communication about the problem, the evidence, the intended outcomes and the implementation process helps stakeholders engage with reform from a more informed position. Communication must therefore be part of reform design, not an afterthought once decisions have been made.
Building Trust, Ownership and Shared Purpose
Trust is essential infrastructure for sustainable reform. Policies can be approved and organisational structures announced without it, but implementation becomes much harder when people suspect that change is intended to redistribute influence or resources rather than improve public service.
Trust grows through openness, consistency and respect. It requires reform leaders to explain decisions, listen even when they cannot accept every suggestion, and recognise the people who must make the change work. This also means de-personalising reform. When an initiative becomes too closely associated with an individual, it risks being perceived as a personal ambition rather than an institutional necessity.
The more important questions are not “Whose reform is this?” but “What public problem are we trying to solve?” and “What will be better for citizens if we succeed?” Anchoring reform in public value allows stakeholders to participate without feeling that they are surrendering ownership to another person or institution. Ultimately, reform belongs to the public service and the citizens it exists to serve.
No reform leader can achieve this alone. Institutional transformation requires political and administrative leadership, technical expertise, cooperation across institutions and the participation of people who understand the system's everyday realities. Those closest to implementation often see practical challenges that are less visible during policy design. Their knowledge can help identify what will work, what might fail and where adjustments are necessary.
My participation in reform-focused convenings has reinforced the value of peer learning. Public servants across Nigeria face familiar challenges, including bureaucratic inertia, fragmented responsibilities, limited resources and resistance to change. Yet opportunities to discuss these experiences openly remain important. Convenings facilitated by the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation provide space for practitioners to learn not only from successful reforms but also from the mistakes, compromises and unexpected consequences that shape implementation. These practical lessons can help others navigate similar challenges.
From Reform Champion to Reform Steward
Perhaps the most significant change in my thinking has been how I understand the role of a reform leader. I increasingly see the role not simply as driving change but as stewarding it. A reform steward builds trust, connects people and institutions, protects the public-interest objective and remains open to improving the path towards achieving it. Success is measured not by personal recognition but by lasting institutional outcomes.
This requires keeping the public problem at the centre of every reform conversation. In Lagos, for instance, the growing effects of climate change, population growth, pressure on land and environmental challenges require government institutions to continually assess whether existing arrangements remain fit for purpose. Reform is necessary when current systems no longer adequately address emerging challenges, but change must be supported by a credible pathway to better outcomes.
The journey from design to delivery is rarely linear. It involves listening, learning, adjusting and building ownership without losing sight of the problem that prompted the reform. A new policy, an approval or an organisational structure may mark progress, but the real test is whether government becomes more effective, coordinated, efficient and responsive to citizens.
Public-sector transformation requires sound policy, capable institutions and committed leadership. It also requires patience, transparency, trust and collaboration. Unblocking reform does not mean eliminating every disagreement. It means creating enough shared purpose and trust for people to work through disagreements constructively.
When stakeholders are treated as partners rather than obstacles, when feedback informs implementation and when institutional ownership replaces individual ownership, the distance between design and delivery becomes smaller. That is where sustainable reform begins, and where better public service becomes possible.
Dr Adewunmi Ade Adeyemi, Deputy Director, Forestry, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems