NESG Unveils  Non-residential Fellowship Programme

The Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) has unveiled its maiden Non-Residential Fellowship Programme (NRFP).

It explained that the launch was aimed at firming up ties between evidence-based research and policy advocacy, with the objective of deepening Nigeria’s socio-economic development.

At the virtual launch of the programme, Mr. Asue Ighodalo, Chairman of NESG, emphasized the need for much stronger ties between evidence and policy making informed the creation of the non-residential fellowship programme, which would promote the dissemination of quality research output which fosters the nation’s socio-economic development.

He reiterated NESG’s commitment to playing a significant role in supporting the translation of high-quality research into effective policies in Nigeria.

He added:“This is why we are all here today. In order to make the right policy choices, the quality of evidence underlying the recommendations made must be ensured.

“This aligns with our role as watch dog, recognising that generating reliable evidence, using rigorous methods, is the first step to implementing the right policies.”

“It is important for quality research to find an outlet which guarantees its implementation.”

Also speaking, Project Director of the NFRP and Chairman, Presidential Economic Council, Dr. Doyin Salami, explained that the NESG had spent the past 30 years as an advocacy group, but deemed it fit to transform into a think tank, understanding the dynamic nature of the policy environment.

According to him, “It is in the context of becoming a think tank that this non-residential fellowship programme is to be situated.

“A think tank, as the name suggests, is about reflection, research, dissemination and influencing.

“We have to reflect on the problems that our country and indeed the world is facing.”

Salami stressed that NESG has always been, and through this programme, remains committed to serving Nigeria’s best interests.

“And I think it is important that we really should put that on the table… that for the NESG it is always about Nigeria’s best interests. Our definition of Nigeria’s best interests sometimes does not find immediate resonance.

“But one of the things we have found over the years is that eventually…with all the delays, some of the ideas that the NESG has canvassed have become the fulcrum of policy.”