Nepal’s civil service serves political parties more than the people – and it is a drag on growth and development. The new government has a once-in-a-generation chance to depoliticise the civil service and catalyse progressive change. Missing it risks keeping Nepal stuck in a low-growth, low-development, high-migration loop. Many civil servants are skilled, honest and motivated, but the system punishes those traits. For change to happen, the political dimensions of the civil service need to be explicitly addressed. – By Open PEA

It’s said that Nigeria has a health financing gap, but poor outcomes also reflect ineffective use of existing funds. Improving background plumbing, reducing out-of-pocket spending, and making markets work better could improve outcomes. – By Prince Agwu and Peter J Evans

Public Private Partnerships are political as well as technical interventions. Governments that use PPPs to address the learning crisis should consider who holds power inside and outside the contractual relationship to ensure sustainability and effectiveness. – By Kenechukwu Nwagbo