A Comparative Study of Leadership Effectiveness and Accountability in Public and Private Sector Governance in Nigeria

ALAO, ESTHER MONISOLA

Department of Business Studies

Landmark University Omuaran, Kwara State

Email: monisolaalao@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

This study is aimed at comparing the leadership process in the public and private sectors with a view to benchmarking approaches that can enhance performance in the public sector. The study is descriptive and combines secondary data with interview of key personnel in both sectors. Findings indicate that the private sector is guided by rules, aims at compulsory attainment of set goals in line with organization’s mission. Failure may attract query, transfer, salary cuts or termination of job which is strange to the public sector since they have no specific set goals, operate under a free rein to produce inefficiency, lack of transparency and accountability marked with high level of corruption. The study affirms these attitudes as responsible for some of the challenges pursuing Nigeria’s economic woes and therefore suggests a need for redirection of governance process. The posture of leadership in Nigeria can be more effective if monitoring and controls are instituted to check excesses while rules and standards are enforced.