Report: Critical Analysis of Nigeria's Economic and Social Issues

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Nigeria's economic, social, political, and environmental state. It examines the country's current economic conditions, highlighting challenges such as tariff barriers, inadequate infrastructure, and limitations in foreign exchange. The report delves into critical problems like poverty, unemployment, corruption, and terrorism, exploring their impact on the nation. It also discusses historical factors, including colonialism and over-reliance on oil, which have contributed to the current socio-economic issues. The report emphasizes the need for sustainable development, good governance, and addressing corruption to foster economic growth and improve the well-being of the Nigerian population. It recommends strengthening legal frameworks, investing in human resources, and promoting equity as crucial steps towards long-term development. The report serves as a consultant's perspective on the challenges and potential solutions for Nigeria's future.

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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Discussion........................................................................................................................................3
Current state of the country.........................................................................................................4
Critical problems and significant challenges...............................................................................5
Historical factors..........................................................................................................................8
Recommendation and solution....................................................................................................9
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................10

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Introduction
The country of Nigeria resides among the tropical zone by occupying more than 923,773
km2. It is the largest country in the continent of Africa and specifically accounts for 47% of the
populationof West Africa. According to Ihugba, Odii & Njoku (2014), the country of Nigeria
endowed natural and human resources, thus making the country, a destination of opportunity for
investors for taking real advantage of major market. However as per the reports of the current
years, the economic potential of the country is constrained by several structural challenges that
includes tarrif anf non tarrif barriers towards trade, lack of adequate infrastructure , investment
obstacles , limitation of the capacity of foreign exchange and lack of proper confidence at the
currency valuation (Anyaehie & Areji, 2015). These economic challenges are backed by several
social problems in Nigeris like poverty, unemployment and more. The thesis statement of the
report argues to critically examine the economic, social, political as well as environmental state
of Nigeria by propr recognition of the crtical challenges of the citizens of the country. Thhe
report will also discuss the future aspects of the Nigerian economy and the relevant
recommendation of solution from the view of a consutant.
Discussion
Since the United Nations Conference on Enviornment and Development (UNCED) or
Eaath Summit in the year 1992, there have been several initiation of efforts for operationalizing
strategies of sustainable development by the stakeholders and government. However, twenty
years after that historic earth summit, and also after the global conference in the year 2012,
challenges regarding sustainable development has been on a rise (Olugbenga, Jumah & Phillips,
2013). In the context of Nigeria, the global imperative of green economy together with other

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rising challenges like climate change, initiative of and policy, bio diversity , strategic agricultural
community development and well as food security has been the topic of debate. It is to note that
the social ,economic, political and the environmental pillars of development have been
embedded in several part of the country of Nigeria. The Natioanl constitution of Nigeria in the
year 1999, promised justice to the citizens of Nigeria by emcompassing social, political ,
economic , dignity of individual and equality regarding the opportunity status (Kanayo, 2014).
However, as per the current data there some of the major key challenges towards the
development in Nigeria which has been throghly debated to affect the economy of the country as
a whole.
Current state of the country
The economic development of the country of Nigeria has witnessed some of the major
growth among the year 2002 and 2011. According to Lawal et al. (2014), the growth at the non
oil sector as well as the agricultural sector has increased due to the insipttinal support and the
policy by the government. The health and the education sector of the country als noticed
significant growth, making Nigeria among the most urbanized countries within the world.
However there still lies some of the major challenges in the country towards the provision
regarding basic services, irrespective of the governmental efforts.
Acess to safe water and saniation has been highlighted as one of the major challenges
faced by the citizens of the country in the current state. The environment of Nigeria is currently
under the increasing threat from human induced and natural disaster like flood, drought as well
as erosion. The increase in population is excerting pressure over the environment of the counry.
As stated in the reaserch paper, rapid deforestation which is the result of the unsustainable usage
of the forest resuorces towards human survival is one of the major factors of contribution

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regarding land degradation (Ewetan & Urhie, 2014). Nevertheless, inappropriate and
indiscriminate activities of mning in several parts of the country of Nigeria has resulted in
unproductive and bare ares, thus causing challenges for the citizens of the country. Concern
regarding water and air pollution followed by association of solid and liquid watage is resulting
toe increased level of inductralization and continuation of urbanization in the country.
Critical problems and significant challenges
Irrespective of the several initiatives by the government and the United Nations, Nigeria
faces several critical problems and challenges regarding its economic, social and political
grounds. On the context of the economic factors, the coutry has been currently exerincing growth
turnovers and major undemployment rate which are targeting towards the social challenges of
poverty. It is to note that some of the social challnges faced by the citizen of the country of
Nigeria includes the problem of the national identity, increasing rate of povety, corruption, rising
inequality, high rate of child mortality, terrorism and violence (Kayode, Arome & Silas, 2014).
Apart from these social challenges, juveline crimes and drug abuse are some of the critical
problmes within igeris which is hindering the growth of the country. According to Ali (2013),
the economy of the country grew about 6.2 percent among 2002 ans 2011 concerning the
government regarding the disconnection among the economic growth of Nigeria and humen
development. The National Bureau of Statistics revelaed that more than 69.2 percent of
population in Nigeria are currently residing below the povety line.

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The above figure explains the poverty trends in Nigeria. The country has been reported to
struggle with high rate of unemployment. The absence or the lack of the employment can be
considered as one of the factors comtributing to inequality as wellas poverty. As stated by
Olukunle (2013), the situation of poverty is furthermore reinforce by major level of inequality.
The Gini Coefficient for the country has been recordere to be 0.48, placing Nigeria to be among
the higherst rate of inequality within the globe. The data gathated from the current reports
highlighted some of the major critical problems in the country which included disturbing spatial
divergence in the level of the GDP (Adesina, 2013). The figure below showcased the rural and
urban dimension of poverty, explaining the factor of poverty as major factor that is a rural
phenomenon within the Nigeria with more than 75-80 percentage still residing under the poverty
line in the rural areas. Towards the view of the current reports that indicated the rapid
urnbanization rate in Nigeria, the rising number of urban poorand povertylevel is one of the
worrisome indication of inequality and socio economic challenges faced by the people in
Nigeria.

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Illustrating over the context of health care challenges, Akinyomi & Olagunju (2013) in
the reaserch study explained how the country operated in pluralistic health care system of
delivery with traditionl and orthodox elivery syste, together with zero collaborative strategies.
The constitution of the country is also reported to be silent over the rle of the government and
tertirayorganization regarding ther role in provision of health services. The socio economic
challenge of health system in Nigeria is one of the critical problem that remains overstreched by
the burgeoning population with several challenges towards skill and infrastructural development.
There lies a strong gap of inequality in the outcomes of health among urban and rural areas in
Nigerioa across several income grups. According to Efurumibe, Asiegbu & Onuu (2014),
Nigeria still resides in the initial stage of epidemiological transition where the communicable
disease are the greatest causes of morbidity and mortality in country. Maleria has beendetected
as one of the leading cause of death among children under the agof five years in Nigeria.
In connection to the socio economic challenges in Nigeris, some of the critical problems
related to the enviormental factors includes water and air pollution, desertification, inductrial

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watage, solid waste dumps, deforestation, climate changes, oil spills, soil degradation, floods and
erosion. Some of the political challenges that the country of Nigeria has been facing includes the
economies of corruption, briebery, nepotism, electoral fraud and kleptocracy. Suberu et al.,
(2015) states that corruption can be noted as the root to several critical problems that Nigeria is
facimh in the current era. This is because, the political problem of corruption takes several forms
as well as infliltrates all the economic sectors and political institutions. Election-rigging is not
something new in Nigeria. One of the mjor challenge in this context is the violation of the basic
right to vote by the citizens of the Nigeria. Nageri, Umar & Abdul (2013) critically analyses the
subsequent challenge of corruption in the political factor that does not only exist in the
government, but is alos pervasive within the society. Gender discrimination is another factor
falling under the system of corruption. Apart from these, the attcks of terrorism are always on the
rise in Nigeria, specificaaly targeting the activities by Boko Haram which have increased over
the last few years. According the Global Terrorism Index Report, published in the year 2018,
Nigeria ranks third in terrorism attcks within the globe. To dicuss the challenges faced by the
citizens of the country, the crime problem in the country as per the reports and the data reports
threatens the context of public safety. Sam (2014) states that public safety is the most
fundamental responsibility of each and every state, where Nigeria has failed miserably.
Historical factors
To dicuss rgerdaing the historical factors that induced negative infleubce over the current
soio economic and environmental factors for the citizens in Nigeria, colonialism can be regarded
as the top factors. According to Edomah (2016), the major negative effect of the economy of
Nigeria due to the historical factors was the slavery. Thousands of people were kidnapped and
were being sold as slaves due to colonization. Another factor was the stealing of the resources of

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Nigeria. Colinization resulted in export of several resources out of Nigeria. The dependence of
Ngeria over the Greater Britain is another historical factor that politically impacted the country.
Furthermore, slavery brought some of the major social effect to Nigeria, thus resuting in
economc inequality and class system among the Nigerian population. The development of the
industries has induced chances of several natural a well a man made distaers falling under the
environmental factors and challenge in Nigeria. Towards understanding the historical factors
resulting in socio economic challenges in the country, factors such as corruption and ineffective
corruption plays a very big role. According to Anyaehie & Areji (2015), the soioc cultural,
politicaland economic crisis that Nigeria is currentky wittnessng is borne out of the system and
historical norms of bad and ineffecrtive leadership traits and coruptions. Over reliance of oil is
another factor that has affected the economy of Nigeria as a whole. This is because, Nigeria has
never paid attention or invested over the non oil services, which have resulted the country to face
drastic detrimental outcome when the price of oil dropped. Unemployement is another factor and
a major pervasive problem in Nigeria. It is a like a disease whose cure has not yet been
discovered. This is followed by the factor of inflation which have resulted in negative influence
in the current eceonomic sector of Nigeria.
Recommendation and solution
Future Prospectes for the development of Nigeria includes the need for proper addressal
of sustainable development challenges within the country. The critical challenges and problems
as identified by the government and the United Nations concerns the requirement for fostering
the sustainable rapid economic growth which will cater towards the need of the population . It is
furthermore essential for the government to recognize the advancement of the governance which
is the main key towards political and economic stability of Nigeria (Kanayo, 2014). Addressing

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and fighting corruption overcoming all the challengs of poverty, meeting the fundamnatal needs
of people, inefficient infrustructire as well as the development of capital for syustainable growth
and human resources followed by the establishing equity are some of the factors that needs to be
considered by the government of the country as recommended steps for overall development. It s
recommended for the government to strengthen the legal and the institutional frameworks that
are imperative for the sustanibale development as well as the evaluation of the implementation of
the project targeting the MDGs (Adesina, 2013). The government should alsp develop the
prpgrammes and polciies for fulfilling the commitment towards accelerating economic growth,
social progress and enhancement of the management of the environment in Nigeria. Finally the
government should also initiate in supporting the implementation of imperitives and mechanisms
that relates to the education, gvernance, awareness creation and education for an overall
development and achievement of the common goal of Nigeria.
Conclusion
Thus it can be summarized from the above that Nigeria needs to continue to pursure
measures and policies for ensuring a more socially and environmentally sound economy within
the context of sustainable development. The government of the country needs to develop
measures and policies on the basisc of the approaches and the principles that recognize the social
and eceonomic values of environmental resources, together with addresiing the link among
livilihoods of the enviornmentand rural communities, therefore incorporating the right of the
rural Nigerians. Promotion of food security and sustainable agriculture is also essential which the
economy of Nigeria should target for strengthening the national institutional and legal
mechanism for supporting the efforts as well as the polciies towards a sustainbale development

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of the country. The recognized challenges and problems in the economic, social, political and the
environmental pillars as well as the emerging challenges can only be confronted through robust
implementation strategies by the government. The strategic approach that is required by the
country includes critical mechanism of education, public awareness, finance for sustainability,
governance, international and regional co-operation.

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