Development governance in West Africa: the way forward in the 21st century

Abstract

The thesis provides a comparative analysis of governance and development in West Africa and South Asia. It examines Nigeria specifically to find answers and scientific understanding to grasp how the country, with its abundant human, natural and mineral resources, could still be wallowing in poverty and remain in a state of underdevelopment in the 21st century. It provides the nexus between good governance and development and draws an example from the Southeast Asian economic ‘miracle’, a sub-region similar to West Africa in terms of political, economic and socio-cultural development post-independence in the 1960s. This is in order to deduce a way to propose a sustainable good governance structure and function, on an implementation strategy towards the achievement of sustainable development in Nigeria. This, in turn, will serve as a pacesetter for the whole of West Africa, which can be proffered as a model or guide towards achieving sustainable development in the sub-region.