God’sbest Christ’sfullness & Nana Precious Osawese
Red Tape Republic: How Bureaucracy is Delaying Nigeria’s Progress
Do not let the words “red tape” muddle your mind, neither should they be taken literally to mean “red sticky tape”. Put simply, it refers to rigid rules that were meant to promote accountability but end up slowing down the execution of laws.
Its greatest strength is also its weakness. In trying to ensure that there were no loopholes, the system eventually became a loophole itself.
In the words of Ben Bova, “Red tape has killed more people than bullets.” This perfectly highlights the dangers of red tapism.
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Now let us ask the bigger question: “Is Nigeria stuck in red tapism?” Let me answer that question in the following paragraphs.
Red tapism is not just an administrative issue; it affects education, healthcare, justice, transportation, and economic growth.
Although it does not affect only political issues, I will use these instances as examples:
Corruption cases can drag on for a long time because of legal technicalities, adjournments, and bureaucratic procedures. One real example is the corruption case involving Orji Uzor Kalu. The case began in 2007 when the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission charged him with allegedly diverting billions of naira from Abia State’s treasury. However, the case dragged on for over a decade because of adjournments, legal technicalities, appeals, and procedural delays before judgement was finally delivered in 2019.
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A clear example of how red tapism slows justice in Nigeria is the murder case involving Maryam Sanda and Bilyaminu Bello. Although the incident occurred in 2017, the trial dragged on for years due to repeated adjournments and procedural delays before judgement was finally delivered in 2020. This reflects how bureaucracy within the justice system can prolong even clear-cut criminal cases.
Now we can see the truth:
“In court, we debate; criminals do not hesitate, and time does not wait.”
Aside from political and criminal issues, important bills often spend years moving between committees, hearings, and legislative chambers before becoming law. Some bills even expire before they are passed.
Citizens often face long queues, repeated documentation requests, and slow processing before obtaining international passports from the immigration service.
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Although reforms have improved the process, many entrepreneurs still experience delays, excessive paperwork, and multiple approvals before fully registering a business.
Some figures in power use this as an opportunity to delay justice. This can become a tool for further corruption.
Red tapism can be curbed if the following are adhered to:
Officials should be held responsible for unnecessary delays. Clear timelines for processing documents must be enforced.
Instead of moving from one office to another, citizens should be able to complete multiple processes in one location.
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Many government processes involve too many steps and approvals. Reducing the number of stages makes administration faster and more efficient.
Government agencies should have fixed deadlines for responding to applications, approvals, and requests.
Red tapism in Nigeria has taken root in major organisations. But it should be noted: “Laws are made for men; men are not made for laws.”
