Should the Western World's experience of development in the modern era serve as a model for the development of Nigeria?
Nigeria is a developing West African country that has experienced periods of political instability, corruption, and mismanagement at the hands of its government. The development of Nigeria has increased dramatically since 1991 when the new constitution was introduced and the government was transferred from military to civilian rule. Development in Nigeria has been hindered by various issues; government corruption, a relatively uneducated and unhealthy population, and civil unrest resulting in outbreaks of violence. What Nigeria needs is a guiding hand that does not intervene and impose itself on the country, but goes unnoticed as it steers Nigeria in the right direction. Nigeria's participation in international organizations like the WTO are appropriate steps in the right direction as they expose Nigeria to the influences of the world and will ultimately lead to increased development of Nigeria. Unfortunately, there is a large rift between the cultures and ideas of the western world and the cultures of Nigeria. The disparity of languages and ideas – there is an estimated 350-400 different languages in Nigeria – causes problems in communication which will hinder development. Nigeria has taken steps in the right direction however, cash crops and the oil industry has helped strengthen the economy and gone towards reducing the massive debt. The new government is determined to reach development goals as part of its Goals of the Millennium campaign. In the years to come, with a little help from outside nations, Nigeria could begin to recover and become one of the premier African nations.
