As President Bola Tinubu’s administration approaches its second anniversary on May 29, preparations are underway to present him with a fresh set of ministerial performance scorecards, The Punch has learnt from multiple Presidency sources.
The scorecards, compiled by the Central Delivery Coordination Unit (CDCU), will assess the performance of federal ministries for the first quarter of 2025. Insiders say the confidential report is expected on the President’s desk “any moment from now”, and some underperforming ministries are reportedly already feeling the heat.
Established in June 2023 to monitor ministerial deliverables, the CDCU is currently finalising evaluations based on quarterly submissions uploaded to a secure portal by various ministries. A team led by CDCU head, Hadiza Bala-Usman, is verifying evidence of projects and policy milestones against the performance bonds signed by ministers during the October 2023 cabinet retreat.
Sources within the Presidency say most ministers have recorded average performances, with only a handful exceeding expectations. The Minister of Works is said to be among the better-performing officials, while several others have scored poorly on critical indicators.
Though no immediate cabinet changes are anticipated, the report is expected to guide future decisions. “This is the most current data the President will use to engage his cabinet on areas needing urgent improvement,” a top aide disclosed.
At the opening of a cabinet retreat on November 1, 2023, President Tinubu had issued a stern warning: “If you are performing, nothing to fear. If you miss the objective, we’ll review it. If no performance, you leave us.”
That declaration informed an earlier cabinet reshuffle in October 2024, during which two ministers were removed and others reassigned. Presidency sources attributed the reshuffle to findings from a previous CDCU report.
Modelled after similar delivery units in the UK and Rwanda, the CDCU tracks key performance indicators, publishes quarterly dashboards, and highlights projects requiring presidential intervention. In an earlier interview, Bala-Usman had stated that quarterly assessments would begin in January 2024, noting that ministries had by then received their annual budgets.
To support the monitoring process, the unit trained 140 officials drawn from 35 federal ministries, including permanent secretaries and directors of planning.
Speaking at a press briefing in February, Bala-Usman emphasised that the scorecards are more than a formality. “Quarterly assessments feed directly into presidential decisions,” she said, adding that previous reports had already triggered “targeted conversations” and mid-term adjustments in at least three ministries.
Political Reactions Trail Ministerial Assessments
As the Tinubu administration marks the halfway point of its term, opposition parties and civil society groups are raising fresh concerns over governance, transparency, and ministerial performance.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), and Labour Party (LP) have all criticised the administration’s performance, citing insecurity, economic hardship, and weak social infrastructure.
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, described the administration as a “monumental failure,” adding that the economic and security crises have worsened under Tinubu’s leadership.
“The primary responsibility of any government is the security and welfare of the people, and by all indicators, this government has failed,” Ologunagba said.
Similarly, NNPP spokesperson Ladipo Johnson called for an urgent cabinet overhaul. “It is time for the President to rejig his team. We cannot continue at this pace and expect different results,” he said.
Labour Party spokesman, Obiora Ifoh, echoed the sentiment, urging President Tinubu to sack non-performing ministers. “The President must be firm and hold ministers accountable,” he said.
Civil society voices have also added their weight. Debo Adeniran, Chairman of the Centre for Accountability and Open Leadership, decried failures in education, healthcare, and security, saying, “All social sectors are performing below standard.”
According to him, “Education is rotting, health delivery is in shambles, and security remains elusive. Accountability is absent, and ministries keep shifting blame rather than fixing problems.”
Auwal Rafsanjani, Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, also urged the Presidency to make the CDCU’s findings public.
“There’s a lack of transparency. Some ministers are visible and seem committed, but others are focused more on 2027 elections than on governance,” he said.
Rafsanjani added that several ministers remain inactive or absent from public discourse, reflecting poor visibility and impact. “Many were appointed to fulfil political obligations, not necessarily to deliver results,” he noted.
While sources say the President is unlikely to sack ministers before May 29 commemorations, the CDCU’s latest dossier is expected to shape direct ministerial engagements and a possible reshuffle in the coming months.
Presidential Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, confirmed the ongoing evaluation but described it as “a routine exercise to keep ministers and agency heads on their toes.”
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