By Adeyemi Adeleye
Experts have said that Nigeria’s development trajectory is being undermined by persistent institutional trust deficits across key sectors.
They made the observation at the 10th Colloquium of the Akinjide Adeosun Foundation (AAF) held on Tuesday in Lagos.
Rear Adm. Kenneth Ati-John (Rtd) said weak institutional confidence continues to distort national progress despite abundant resources.
Ati-John said: “A nation does not become wealthy by the size of its resources alone, but by the reliability of its institutions.
“When citizens doubt enforcement, contracts, and policy consistency, economic energy is reduced and investment weakens.
“Trust surplus is what converts potential into prosperity. Without it, even abundance becomes inefficiency.”
He said Nigeria’s development paradox stems from inconsistent governance structures that weaken long-term planning and accountability.
Ati-John added that countries with stronger institutional credibility consistently outperform resource-rich but trust-deficient economies.
Mr Akinjide Adeosun, Founder of AAF, said declining trust between citizens and institutions remained a major barrier to national cohesion.
He said: “When trust is absent, cooperation breaks down and development slows across all sectors of society.
“A society cannot outperform its level of trust. It is the invisible infrastructure of every economy.
“Rebuilding trust requires deliberate action, not rhetoric, and must begin from leadership and the family unit”.
Adeosun said the foundation is investing in leadership development programmes aimed at strengthening ethical behaviour and civic responsibility.
He added that the initiatives include renewable energy support for students and institutional capacity-building for future leaders.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that experts at the colloquium linked trust erosion to governance failures and weak public service delivery.
They noted that recurring failures in infrastructure, electoral processes and service provision deepen public skepticism.
Prof. Kamar Adeleke, a medical practitioner, said trust remains fundamental in healthcare delivery and patient outcomes.
He said: “The doctor-patient relationship is built entirely on trust, confidentiality and ethical responsibility.
“When patients lose confidence in the system, they delay care, conceal information and outcomes worsen.
“Restoring trust in healthcare is as important as investing in equipment and facilities.”
Adeleke urged health professionals to maintain transparency in diagnosis and treatment to strengthen public confidence in the sector.
He said ethical practice remains central to rebuilding trust between professionals and the society they serve. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Vivian Ihechu
