Effect of New Public Management on Performance of the Public Sector of Nigeria (2008-2021)

This research was on the effect of new public management on the performance of the public sector of Nigeria (2008-2021), concentrating on the Anambra, Ebonyi, and Enugu States of Nigeria. The research objectives were to investigate how human resource management affects performance in the public sector of Anambra, Ebonyi, and the Enugu States of Nigeria, to examine how private sector management styles affect the performance of the public sector of these states; and to determine how the electoral and budget processes affect performance in these states. The population of the study was 784 with a sample size of 265. The study applied the descriptive quantitative method using primary and secondary sources to elicit data which were analyzed by means of mean scores and z-test of hypotheses. After analysis, it was found that human resource management practices in Anambra, Ebonyi, and the Enugu States had not significantly improved in performance in the public sector, application of private sector management styles in these states had not significantly improved performance, and the electoral and budget processes in those states had not the significantly improved performance of the public sector. The researcher concluded that the application of human resource management, the practice of private sector management styles, and the conduct of electoral and budget processes in the Anambra, Ebonyi, and Enugu States of Nigeria have not been properly done. As such, the performance of the public sector has not significantly improved and efficiency is lacking. The study, therefore, recommended that proper human resource management practices should be imbibed by the government, private sector management styles should be strictly adhered to by the public sector, and the electoral and budget processes in Nigeria should guarantee people's choice.