Appraisal of Commercialization Policy in Nigeria: Insiders' views on post-policy evaluation

Abstract

This paper assesses the post-policy effects of commercialization policy on three policy-target state-owned enterprises (SOEs) using the views of workers in those SOEs. Financial indicators for these SOEs have remarkably improved since the adoption of the policy, and this achievement of the policy goal has been corroborated by questionnaire responses on the issue. The respondents assessment also shows that there has been improvement in the management of all SOEs studied because government direct controls on managements have been seriously curtailed by the policy. Nevertheless, matters related to workers' employment and welfare are lowly scored by the respondents. The fall in employment with the implementation of the policy is in consonant with the policy objective of reducing waste in the SOEs. The assessment that workers' welfare has fallen may be seen as respondents' bias inherent in self-assessment, although the SOEs should verify this to ensure that workers' welfare and the resulting productivity is not unduly threatened by the policy. Keywords: Commercialization, SOEs, evaluation, privatization, performance.