Buhari appointees raise hope

President Buhari has appointed a new head of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), homing in one of his country's open sores - corruption. To battle it is one of Buhari's top priorities. Graft in Nigeria feeds on the country's huge oil revenues.

Buhari has placed Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, former executive vice chairman and general counsel for the US oil major ExxonMobil, at the top of the state-run oil concern. Kachikwu is not a member of the Nigerian oil clique whose aim is solely to enrich themselves by dishonest means. His appointment sends an important message to the industry, as does Buhari's declaration that he will divide up the the NNPC, splitting off industry regulation from state-owned holdings in the sector.

Buhari assumes control of oil industry

Sources close to Buhari say he intends to keep the oil ministry under his personal supervision. Nigeria's key industry would then remain in the hands of the man at the top. That is grounds for optimism. The promised rebuilding of Nigeria is beginning at last!

Over the last few weeks, there was much grumbling in internet forums and in the Nigerian media in general. "What has happened to the new beginning Buhari promised before the election," many people asked. He has been active abroad, attending the G7 summit in Germany and visiting Chad and Niger, Nigeria's most important allies in the fight against Boko Haram. Simultaneously, however, Boko Haram have stepped up their suicide attacks and raids on remote villages.

In other spheres of political endeavor, Buhari has been rather less diligent. He has not appointed any ministers. All important decisions land on his desk. When he announced in July he wouldn't be naming a cabinet until September, some people felt obliged to refer to him as "Baba Go-slow."

Buhari has said that fundamental change in Nigeria needs to be accompanied by a well thought-out strategy. His latest moves indicate that he is really serious about this. A further example would be his handling of the military, the upper echelon of which he summarily dismissed. This was to be expected as the top brass had hardly earned any plaudits in the struggle against Boko Haram.

Buhari gave careful consideration to the choice of their replacements. They are new military commanders who know the northeast of the country - the focus of terrorist activity - well. They also have the reputation of putting the security of the nation before their own personal concerns. Their predecessors were believed to be responsible - at least in part - for the seeping away of billions of dollars from the military budget - money that never made its way to front line!

Fighting terrorism

Buhari has stressed that fighting terrorism is a top foreign policy priority for Nigeria. His visits to Niger, Chad and in particular Cameroon, helped to remove mistrust among members of the anti-Boko Haram coalition. The multinational task force now finally has a commander-in-chief and there are reasonable grounds to hope that it will soon be ready to be deployed and to operate across borders without the usual squabbles among nations over chains of command. Buhari was also able to gain the confidence of US President Barack Obama - a key ally in the fight against terror - during a recent visit to the White House.

It will not be easy to rebuild Nigeria. The opponents of change are lying in waiting, ready to attack. Buhari's own party - despite its majority in parliament - is hopelessly fragmented. Boko Haram has yet to be defeated. There are still people around - powerful people - who owe their fortunes to the ill-gotten gains of corruption. But if the new president is as resolute and as circumspect as he has been in the last few days, then his reforms may well succeed. It is not just Nigerians who entertain this hope. There are other nations in Africa in which Buhari is regarded as a beacon for the future.