Gwendolyn Mikell reviews Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala's book Reforming the Unreformable Lessons from Nigeria:
The story takes Nigeria watchers backstage and shows us the complexity of initiating macroeconomic reforms in an African society whose diverse political classes have benefited from resource mismanagement, financial liquidity, agricultural collapse, educational decimation, and citizen impoverishment. Okonjo-Iweala shows how daunting it was to break the hold of politicians over oil revenues and push Nigeria toward stable, diversified, market-driven, and socially responsible economic governance
...Okonjo-Iweala, who after four years at the World Bank returned in 2011 as finance minister under President Goodluck Jonathan, ends by looking forward, recognizing that Nigeria’s success can help transform Africa. She asks whether the reforms will be sustained and lead to Nigeria’s continued growth and, if they are, whether they can be a role model for the rest of Africa. She returns to the importance of support and monitoring by the global community, as well as Nigeria’s continued commitment to fighting corruption, strengthening the macroeconomic framework, and advancing financial sector reform.
We are left to ask, “Will this last?”