A group of Nigerian professors under the College of Professors in Nigeria (CoPIN) has launched a comprehensive policy manual titled “The Abuja Papers: Manual for Short and Medium Term Development of Nigeria, 2024-2032,” aimed at addressing the critical gaps hindering the nation’s progress. The manual, which consists of 40 key items, outlines the policies and decisions Nigerian governments should adopt in the coming years.
Speaking at a news conference in Abuja, CoPIN’s National President, Prof. Otoabasi Akpan, emphasized that the country’s regression in various sectors since independence motivated the group’s intervention. He stressed that Nigeria, despite its abundant natural resources and population, has not achieved its potential due to a lack of principles, leadership, and knowledge of the nation’s evolution.
The initiative by CoPIN is positioned as a non-political, non-religious, non-gender-specific effort, focusing on leveraging the expertise of Nigerian professors to shape national policies. Prof. Akpan outlined the country’s critical challenges, including weak state institutions, the absence of elite consensus, and the failure to integrate effective traditional Nigerian models into modern governance.
CoPIN’s vision is that by uniting the nation’s academic minds, Nigeria can overcome its historical shortcomings and develop into a stronger, more powerful state. The unveiling of The Abuja Papers marks a significant step toward that goal.