THE ROLE OF PLANNING IN NIGERIA’S DEVELOPMENT.
Abstract
National development planning has long been regarded as a critical instrument for achieving sustained economic growth and structural transformation, particularly in developing economies such as Nigeria. This study examines the role of development planning in Nigeria with specific emphasis on the First (1962–1968) and Fourth (1981–1985) National Development Plans. Drawing on descriptive and comparative analysis, the study highlights the objectives, sectoral allocations, implementation strategies, and outcomes of both plans within the broader context of Nigeria’s development experience. The findings reveal that while the First National Development Plan recorded relatively strong economic performance, marked by infrastructural expansion and moderate GDP growth, the Fourth National Development Plan was largely undermined by poor implementation, fiscal constraints arising from oil price shocks, rising external debt, and frequent changes in government. The study further underscores that Nigeria’s development challenges are less attributable to poor planning frameworks than to weak implementation mechanisms, inadequate project monitoring, cost overruns, and pervasive corruption. In addition, the paper situates subsequent initiatives such as Vision 20:2020, the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS), and State Economic Empowerment and Development Strategies (SEEDS) as efforts to address past shortcomings through improved coordination and accountability. The study concludes that effective national development in Nigeria requires strengthened institutional capacity, enhanced project management culture, reduced corruption, and greater emphasis on implementation and monitoring.
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Published in SALEM JOURNAL OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
ISSN: 627-44669
This article appears in our peer-reviewed academic journal
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