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40 original JAMB Government questions on Public Corporations and Parastatals, with instant scoring and worked explanations. Free, no sign-up.
Start Public Corporations and Parastatals practice → Timed test All Government topicsWhat Public Corporations and Parastatals covers in the JAMB Government syllabus
A public corporation (parastatal) is a government-owned and controlled organisation, established by law (an Act or decree) and managed by a board of directors, to provide essential services (power, water, transport, oil — e.g. NNPC, the Railway Corporation, the former NEPA/PHCN). It has more operational autonomy than a ministry and is funded by government subventions plus its own revenue, but is accountable to government and the public. Its merits are providing essential and strategic services that private firms may find unprofitable; its problems include inefficiency, corruption and political interference. Related policies: privatisation (selling to private owners, argued to boost efficiency but risking higher prices and job losses), nationalisation (government taking over private firms) and commercialisation (running a public corporation profitably while still government-owned).
For Public Corporations and Parastatals, JAMB expects you to be able to:
- Define public corporations/parastatals, how they are established and managed
- State their aims, funding, merits and problems
- Explain privatisation, nationalisation and commercialisation
Key facts & revision notes: Public Corporations and Parastatals
These are the recurring points our Public Corporations and Parastatals questions test — revise them until each feels automatic, then practise the questions above to lock them in.
- A public corporation is a government-owned and controlled organisation.
- Public corporations are established by law — an Act of parliament (or a decree under military rule).
- Public corporations provide essential services (e.g.
- power, water, transport) to the public.
- Bodies like the former NEPA/PHCN (electricity), NNPC and NRC are public corporations.
- A board of directors (appointed by government) manages a public corporation.
- Government provides essential but unprofitable/strategic services through public corporations.
- Public corporations often suffer inefficiency, corruption, political interference and losses.
- Privatisation is the transfer/sale of a public corporation to private ownership.
- Nationalisation is government taking over ownership of a private enterprise.
- Commercialisation makes a public corporation operate profitably while remaining government-owned.
- Public corporations enjoy more operational autonomy than government ministries.
- Public corporations are funded by government subventions and their own generated revenue.
- A parastatal is a government-owned agency or corporation.
- Privatisation is argued to bring greater efficiency and better management than public ownership.
- Privatisation can lead to higher prices and job losses, and may neglect unprofitable services.
- Public corporations are ultimately accountable to the government and the public.
- The NNPC is the public corporation managing Nigeria's petroleum/oil industry.
- Public corporations provide essential services widely, including to areas private firms may ignore.
- A privately owned supermarket is not a public corporation; the others are government-owned.
- Public corporations exist to serve the public interest by providing essential services.
- A public corporation has its own legal personality.
- A managing director/general manager runs daily operations.
- The NNPC manages Nigeria's oil and gas.
Worked examples
Three Public Corporations and Parastatals questions with the answer and a short explanation, so you can see how the topic is set before you practise the full set.
Q. A public corporation is an organisation owned and controlled by the:
- A. foreigners
- B. private individuals
- C. government ✓
- D. one person
Answer: C. A public corporation is a government-owned and controlled organisation.
Q. A reason government sets up public corporations is to:
- A. avoid serving the public
- B. make private profit
- C. provide services that private firms may not find profitable ✓
- D. reduce services
Answer: C. Government provides essential but unprofitable/strategic services through public corporations.
Q. A public corporation is usually established by an:
- A. market
- B. church
- C. private agreement
- D. Act of parliament (or decree) ✓
Answer: D. Public corporations are established by law — an Act of parliament (or a decree under military rule).
Q. The main aim of public corporations is to provide ___ services to the public.
- A. foreign
- B. secret
- C. essential ✓
- D. no
Answer: C. Public corporations provide essential services (e.g. power, water, transport) to the public.
How Public Corporations and Parastatals is tested in JAMB Government
Our Public Corporations and Parastatals bank holds 40 questions (29 medium, 11 hard). JAMB Government typically returns to Public Corporations and Parastatals year after year, so steady practice on this topic is high-value revision. Questions are multiple-choice with four options, and at UTME pace you get roughly 40 seconds each — which is why timed practice matters.
How to answer Public Corporations and Parastatals questions
Work the stem first and predict the answer before you look at the options; then eliminate the ones that contradict the key facts above. Watch for “which is not…”, “all of the above” and “except” style stems, which are where rushed candidates lose easy marks on Public Corporations and Parastatals. If a calculation or a precise definition is involved, work it from first principles rather than guessing from a half-remembered rule. When two options look right, re-read the stem for the qualifier that separates them — JAMB rarely repeats an option by accident. If you are still unsure, eliminate the two weakest choices to lift your odds, flag the question, and move on; never burn a full minute on one Government item when the exam gives you about forty seconds each. Then come back to flagged questions with whatever time remains. The single most reliable way to get faster at Public Corporations and Parastatals is repeated timed practice, so use the button above until the recurring patterns feel automatic.
Common mistakes to avoid in Public Corporations and Parastatals
The errors that cost marks on Public Corporations and Parastatals are usually careless rather than conceptual: misreading a negative stem, confusing two similar terms, or rushing a definition you actually know. Candidates also over-rely on “expo” and last-minute cramming instead of understanding the topic — which fails the moment JAMB rephrases a familiar idea. Treat every option as a claim to be checked against the facts above, keep your working tidy for any calculation, and don’t change a considered answer on a hunch. Above all, revise Public Corporations and Parastatals actively by answering questions, not just by re-reading notes — recall under time is what the exam rewards.
Keep going
Related Government topics: Local Government · The Structure and Workings of Nigerian Federalism · The Military in Nigerian Politics · Political Parties and Party Politics in Nigeria · Foreign Policy
All Government topics · All CBT subjects · Course library · JAMB guide
Frequently asked questions
Is Public Corporations and Parastatals part of the JAMB Government syllabus?
Yes. Public Corporations and Parastatals is a recognised topic in the JAMB Government syllabus, covering define public corporations/parastatals, how they are established and managed. You should be able to recall its key facts and apply them to multiple-choice questions.
How many Public Corporations and Parastatals questions can I practise on Belmadeng?
There are 40 original, JAMB-standard Public Corporations and Parastatals questions in our free bank, each with the correct answer and a worked explanation. You can practise them untimed or as a timed test.
What are the most important points to know about Public Corporations and Parastatals?
A public corporation (parastatal) is a government-owned and controlled organisation, established by law (an Act or decree) and managed by a board of directors, to provide essential services (power, water, transport, oil — e.g. NNPC, the Railway Corporation, the former NEPA/PHCN). It has more operati…
How do I answer Public Corporations and Parastatals questions quickly in JAMB?
Read the stem carefully, eliminate clearly wrong options, and match the remaining choices to the key facts for Public Corporations and Parastatals. Practising timed Public Corporations and Parastatals questions builds the speed you need for UTME's pace of about 40 seconds per question.
Are these JAMB Government Public Corporations and Parastatals questions past questions or original?
They are original questions written to JAMB (UTME) standard and mapped to the official syllabus — not reproduced past papers. This keeps them legal to use freely while closely mirroring how the real exam tests the topic.
Where can I practise Public Corporations and Parastatals questions free without signing up?
Right here — tap “Start Public Corporations and Parastatals practice” on this page to begin instantly. Belmadeng's CBT practice is completely free and needs no sign-up, download or subscription.
About these questions: original, JAMB-standard items written from the official UTME Government syllabus (last reviewed 2026-09-18). Belmadeng is an independent study platform and is not affiliated with JAMB. Spotted an error? Use the report link.