TECHNOLOGY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA: CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE

PAGE (S)

BACKGROUND ………………………………………………………………..1-4

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM…………………………………………4-5

RESEARCH QUESTIONS ……………………………………………..5-6

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY…………………………………………….6

RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS………………………………………………….6-7

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY…………………………………………7

SCOPE OF THE STUDY…………………………………………………….7-8

LIMITATION……………………………………………………………..8

METHODOLOGY ……………………………………………………….8-9

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ………………………………………9-13

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

PAGE(S)

CONCEPT OF TECHNOLOGY………………………………………….16-20

TECHNOLOGICAL ACHIEVEMENT INDEX…………………………..20-24

CONCEPT OF DEVELOPMENT …………………………………………..24-28

CONCEPT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT …………………………28-33

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TECHNOLOGY

AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ……………………………………..33-36

SUMMARY……………………………………………………………………….36-37

CHAPTER THREE

COMPARISON OF THE CONCEPTS OF TECHNOLOGY                          AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

PAGE (S)

INTERCONNECTIVITY BETWEEN TECHNOLOGY AND              ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT……………………………………………….42-44

EVALUATION OF NIGERIA’S EFFORTS AT TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT……………………..44-58

.

COMPARISON OF NIGERIA’S PERFORMANCE IN IMPROVING

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THROUGH TECHNOLOGICAL

ADVANCEMENT AMONGST SELECTED COUNTRIES…….…………….58-74

SUMMARY…………………………………………………………………………….74-75

CHAPTER FOUR

CHALLENGES  TO  NIGERIA’S  EFFORTS  AT

TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT AS THE

FOCUS FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT…………………………………..78-83

STRATEGIES FOR ENHANCING TECHNOLOGICAL

DEVELOPMENT  TO  ACHIEVE  SUSTAINED

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA……………………………….83-87

SUMMARY…………………………………………………………………………….87

CHAPTER FIVE

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

CONCLUSION………………………………………………………………………90-92

RECOMMENDATIONS……………………………………………………………92

REFERENCES

BIBLIOGRAPHY…………………………………………………………………..88-96

ABSTRACT

1.      This research was carried out to compare the concepts of technology and economic development in order to establish the importance of the former in boosting national economic development. The study was geared at determining 4 distinct objectives. These were to compare the concepts of technology and economic development. Thereafter, Nigeria’s performance in advancing technology was compared with selected countries. Some factors that hinder technological development in Nigeria were also examined. Finally, strategies were proffered on the means of improving technological development in Nigeria as a prerequisite for enhancing her economic development. Indeed, Nigeria has faced challenges in addressing critical issues required to make life better for the nation through technology development. Accordingly, this research proposed some strategies that could assist the government in addressing these challenges.

2.     The descriptive research method was used for the study. The research revealed that technology and economic development are interconnected concepts with similar objectives geared towards improving the lot of society. It was further discovered that Nigeria’s technology base has not yet been able to provide sustained economic development for the nation.  Furthermore, it revealed that technological advancement factors are not being adequately addressed as key enablers of economic development. In comparison with selected countries, it was discovered that Nigeria has inadequacies in its technological development efforts. These were discovered in areas of technology transfer agreements, R&D funding, technical education, corruption and other economic development factors. However, these shortcomings could be remedied in order to make technology a tool in enhancing the nation’s economic development.

3.      To reverse the poor state of Nigeria’s technology-base, improved funding for R&D and technical education was considered expedient. In addition, the FG government was implored to encourage the private sector to be more committed to R&D efforts, set up bottom-up community development programmes to mitigate poverty at the grassroots and complete the construction of the ASCL. These strategies if employed would result in achieving sustained economic development for the nation.

CHAPTER ONE

1.0                                           INTRODUCTION

1.1    BACKGROUND

The world’s economies have over the last few decades, undergone dramatic transformation as nations strive for economies driven by technology (Nelson, 2005:7). To compete favourably in the global arena, a nation must have an economy composed of firms that constantly innovate and maximise the use of technology (Nelson, 2005:9). The importance of technology is evident in the way it bridges the gap between countries and citizens through televisions, satellites, cellular phones and commercial products. Technology-based economic development has therefore, become the means through which a nation’s economic base can thrive.

TECHNOLOGY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA: CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS