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This article undertakes a rule of law critique of privatization as economic reform policy in Nigeria. The rule of law approach interrogates not just the policy rationales of the programme but also its methodology. The article distinguishes between a formal and substantive justice conception of rule of law and argues that the substantive justice conception of rule of law and its policy imperatives, sourced from the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy in Chapter 2 of the 1999 Constitution, provides a veritable framework to realize the strategic goals of privatization in Nigeria.Keywords: Privatization, rule of law, justice, efficiency, economic growth, equality, fundamental human rights, social justice.

With the transfer of government shares in 17 electricity generation and distribution companies in November 2013, Nigeria crossed the Rubicon in the privatization process. This process began in earnest in 2003 with the liberalization of the telecom sector as part of a strategic reform to improve efficiency in these utility sectors. So far, privatization has not improved the quality of service in these sectors. The problem has been traced to the failure of regulation. The major problem is that the regulatory regime had not matured before privatization. This immaturity manifests mostly in the failure to protect consumer interests. This article reviews regulatory deficits post-privatization. It assesses potential conflict between principles of market orthodoxy and those of constitutional governance and argues for a rule-of-law approach to regulation post-privatization that is focused on blending of promotion of market efficiency and protection of fundamental rights.Keywords: Liberalization, Privatization, Regulation, Market Efficiency, Rule of Law

Um den Dialog mit der Zivilgesellschaft über das nigerianische Entwicklungskonzept NEEDS (National Economic Empowerment and Development) zu führen, veranstalteten HURILAWS und das Centre for Public Policy and Research (CPPR) im April 2004 einen Workshop mit Vertretern von NGOs, den Gewerkschaften, Medien, der Regierung, der Privatwirtschaft, der Universitäten und der internationalen Geber einen Workshop. Es entstand eine Schrift, in der sich die vier Autoren kritisch mit NEEDS und der wirtschaftlichen Reformpolitik auseinandersetzen. (GIGA-Sbd)