DEPENDENCY AND SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA UNDERDEVELOPMENT: THE NIGERIAN EXPERIENCE

DEPENDENCY AND SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA UNDERDEVELOPMENT: THE NIGERIAN EXPERIENCE

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1.    BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Sub Saharan Africa’s growth performance since gaining independence from colonial rule in the 1960s has been quite disappointing and utterly unacceptable. So used are we to this assessment that we forget that Africa was, at least in the first decade of independence, growing faster than other developing regions in the world. However, the late 1970s dramatically and unfortunately set back the continent and led to stagnation and regression through the 1980s and 1990s. Africa’s role in the global economy is largely responsible for this, expressed most visibly in insufficient resource mobilization and capital formation, and the continent’s lopsided trade relations.

Nigeria has been one of the greatest victims of under development as a result of dependency on the western world this is owing to the present economic recession in Nigeria.

The concept of dependency and underdevelopment are two words that goes side by side which draws our attention to the stagnation, deplorable and peripheral condition of the sub Saharan countries in Africa with special reference to Nigeria. The sub Saharan Africa region, among other regions of the continent, is seen as the poorest as the most impoverished region in the entire continent. In the international system, most international organizations regard the sub Saharan Africa region as Under developed and poor thereby seeing Sub Saharan Africa as an incapable or handicapped. The reason becomes why they give out most loans to these region of Africa, thereby making the sub Saharan Africa indebted to the European countries. It is also for the same reason most international organization are established, towards the development of Sub Saharan African region.

1.2. STATEMENT OF THE GENERAL PROBLEM

The poor development of African countries in general and the sub Saharan African countries in particular has been an issue overtime. This poor economic, social, political development in the sub Saharan African region of the continent may have been caused by over dependency of these countries on the western world. This negativity of over dependency has resulted to lack of progressive growth and development in the region.

1.3. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The major aim of the study is to examine the impact of dependency on sub Saharan African development. Other specific objectives of the study include;

1.  To examine the major problem of dependency in sub Saharan African.

2.  To examine the major areas of under development in sub Saharan Africa.

3.  To assess the current level of under development in Nigeria.

4.  To examine the dependency level of Nigeria on the western world.

5.  To recommend ways of improving development in the sub Saharan African region.

1.4. RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1.  What is the impact of dependency on sub Saharan African under development?

2.  What are the major problems of dependency in sub Saharan Africa?

3.  What are the major areas of under development in sub Saharan Africa?

4.  What is the current level of under development in Nigeria?

5.  What is the dependency level of Nigeria on the western world?

6.  Recommend ways of improving development in the sub Saharan African region?

1.5. RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS

H0: Dependency has no impact on sub Saharan African development

H1: Dependency has an impact on sub Saharan African development

1.6. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Findings from this study would be of immense importance to governments of sub Saharan countries as it would unveil the implications of dependency on the sub Saharan African development. The study would also benefit students, researchers and scholars who are interested in developing a further study on the subject matter.

1.7. SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The study is restricted to the dependency and sub Saharan under development a case study of Nigeria.

1.8  LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

Financial constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview)

Time constraint: The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.