Nigeria’s Struggle for Development: A Reflection on the Muhammadu Buhari Administration (2015-2023)

‘Wale Sadeeq

Abstract


This study delves into the issue of development which Nigeria has been grappling with in its efforts at enhancing the welfare and wellbeing of its citizens and taking its rightful place in the comity of nations. It particularly analyzes the eight-year administration of President Muhammadu Buhari vis-à-vis its struggle for development in order to fulfill its campaign promises, satisfy the hopes and yearnings of Nigerians, fix the already badly-damaged economy and set the country on the path of greatness. The paper infers that the Buhari administration fell short of people’s expectations, as it was marred by poverty, corruption, nepotism, insecurity of monumental dimension, social injustice and economic stagnation, with development at its lowest ebb. Consequently, the paper notes that Nigeria requires a president with sound intellect, leadership acumen and strong commitment to achieve the desired development.


Keywords


Development; Economy; Expectations; Insecurity; Leadership

Full Text:

PDF

References


Abubakar, S. M. (2002). The relevance of underdevelopment and dependency theories in explaining the dependent nature of Nigerian economy. Seminar paper presented at the Department of Political Science, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

Adedeji, A. (1989). Towards a dynamic African economy: Selected speeches and lectures. Great Britain: Frank Cass and Company Limited.

Adonri, D. (2023, June 13). Why Nigeria’s economy retrogressed under Buhari. Vanguard. https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/06/why-nigerias-economy-retrogressed-under-buhari/

Akinola, A. O. (2018). Globalization, democracy and oil sector reform in Nigeria. Palgrave Macmillan.

Al Jazeera. (2023, May 29). Squandered goodwill: How Buhari failed Nigeria a second time. https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2023/5/29/squandered-goodwill-how-buhari-failed-nigeria-a-second-time

Atairet, C. A. (2020). Implementation of Local Economic Empowerment Strategy (LEEDS) in the health and education sectors, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria - An assessment. International Journal of Technical Research and Science, 5(10), 4-12.

BudgIT. (2023, May 29). The economic legacy of the Buhari administration. TheCable. https://www.thecable.ng/the-economic-legacy-of-the-buhari-administration

Bailey, B. (2022, September 8). Nigeria’s ranking in UN Human Development unchanged in 2021. Business Day. https://businessday.ng/news/article/nigerias-ranking-in-un-human-development-unchanged-in-2021/

Business Day. (2024, September 5). Nigeria tops list: 6 African countries with highest debt to World Bank’s IDA. https://businessday.ng/news/article/nigeria-tops-list-6-african-countries-with-highest-debt-to-world-banks-ida/

Chang, H. J. (1999). The economic theory of the developmental state. In J. De Larosiere (Ed.), Evolution of the international financial system (pp. 1-20). WSPiZ & TIGER Distinguished Lecture Series.

Daily Trust. (2023, May 1). Buhari’s govt. support states with N2trn - Presidency. https://dailytrust.com/buhari-govts-support-states-with-n2trn-presidency/

Egbejule, E., Adetayo, O., & Olurounbi, R. (2023, May 29). Squandered goodwill: How Buhari failed Nigeria a second time. Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2023/5/29/squandered-goodwill-how-buhari-failed-nigeria-a-second-time

Escobar, A. (1995). Encountering development: The making and unmaking of the Third World. Princeton University Press.

Everett, M. (1997). The ghost in the machine: Agency in “poststructural” critiques of development. Anthropological Quarterly, 70(3), 137-151. https://doi.org/10.2307/3317673

Google.com. (n.d.). Conceptualising development: The changing meanings of development fromunderdevelopmentanddevelopmenttopost development. Retrieved from https://www.google.com/search?q=conceptualising+development

Iheanacho, E. N. (2014). National development planning in Nigeria: An endless search for appropriate development strategy. International Journal of Economic Development Research and Investment, 5(2), 49-60.

International Monetary Fund. (2022). Nigeria and the IMF. https://www.imf.org/en/Countries/NGA

Islam, M. S. (2018). Conceptualizing development and underdevelopment: From classical modernization to contemporary post-development discourse. Journal of Asian Development, 4(2), 108-125.

Jinadu, G. M. (1985). Social development in Nigeria: A case analysis. Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare, 12(4), 851-877.

Johnson, C. (1982). MITI and the Japanese miracle: The growth of industrial policy, 1925-1975. Stanford University Press.

Jones, P. S. (2004). When ‘development’ devastates: Donor discourses, access to HIV/AIDS treatment in Africa and rethinking the landscape of development. Third World Quarterly, 25(2), 385-404. https://doi.org/10.1080/0143659042000174879

Nosiri, U. D., & Ibekwe, E. O. (2021). Counter-terrorism in Nigeria: An assessment of Buhari government’s response to Boko Haram insurgency. African Journal of Social and Behavioural Sciences, 11(1), 1-15.

Nustad, K. G. (2001). Development: The devil we know? Third World Quarterly, 22(4), 479-489. https://doi.org/10.1080/01436590120071731

Oduwole, E. (2013). The question of development in Africa. In T. Falola & J. Achberger (Eds.), The political economy of development and underdevelopment in Africa (pp. 331-345). Routledge.

Oladejo, O. (2023, November 13). Imperative of Nigeria’s rebirth: A pathway to peace and progress. Third Distinguished Eminent Personality Lecture, Bowen University, Iwo.

Polanyi, K. (1944). The great transformation: The political and economic origins of our time. Beacon Press.

Premium Times. (2021, June 1). ANALYSIS: Six years in office, Buhari fails to deliver on economy. https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/465014-analysis-six-years-in-office-buhari-fails-to-deliver-on-economy.html

Salami, A. A., Tilakasiri, S. L., & Ahamed, Y. A. (2017). The indicators and indices of development. In S. L. Tilakasiri (Ed.), Geography in development: Issues and perspectives (pp. 77-102). Stamford Lake.

Sapru, K. K. (1994). Development administration. Sterling Publishers.

Sewell, J. W. (1998, June 29). The changing definition of development and development cooperation. Paper presented at USAID’s Conference on “Making a World of Difference: Celebrating Thirty Years of Development Progress,” Washington, D.C.

Taylor, I. (2006). China’s oil diplomacy in Africa. International Affairs, 82(5), 937-959.

TheCable. (2015, May 29). FILE: Campaign promises of Buhari (and APC). https://www.thecable.ng/documented-promises-buhari-apc-made-nigerians/

Todaro, M. P. (1977). Economics for a developing world. Longman.

Tordoff, W. (1993). Government and politics in Africa. Macmillan Press.

Vanguard. (2023, May 21). Toxic words: Nigerians give verdict as Buhari spends last week in office. https://www.vanguardngr.com/2023/05/toxic-words-nigerians-give-verdict-as-buhari-spends-last-week-in-office/

Woo-Cumings, M. (Ed.). (1999). The developmental state. Cornell University Press.

World Bank. (2022a). A better future for all Nigerians. https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/099730003152232753/pdf/P17630107476630fa09c990da780535511c.pdf

World Bank. (2022b). Nigeria poverty assessment. https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2022/03/21/afw-deep-structural-reforms-guided-by-evidence-are-urgently-needed-to-lift-millions-of-nigerians-out-of-poverty

Yunusa, M. H. (2008). Under-development theory and contemporary African predicament: A re-think. African Journal of Politics and Administrative Studies. https://www.ajpasebsu.org.ng/2008/09/under-development-theory-and-contemporary-african-predicamenta-re-think/




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3968/13785

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2025 Canadian Social Science

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Reminder

  • How to do online submission to another Journal?
  • If you have already registered in Journal A, then how can you submit another article to Journal B? It takes two steps to make it happen:

Submission Guidelines for Canadian Social Science

We are currently accepting submissions via email only. The registration and online submission functions have been disabled.

Please send your manuscripts to css@cscanada.net,or css@cscanada.org for consideration. We look forward to receiving your work.

 Articles published in Canadian Social Science are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC-BY).

 

Canadian Social Science Editorial Office

Address: 1020 Bouvier Street, Suite 400, Quebec City, Quebec, G2K 0K9, Canada.
Telephone: 1-514-558 6138 
Website: Http://www.cscanada.net; Http://www.cscanada.org 
E-mail:caooc@hotmail.com; office@cscanada.net

Copyright © Canadian Academy of Oriental and Occidental Culture