Policy implementation analysis for Nigerian development projects

Abstract

After decades of gaining independence and self-rule, many African states still remain poor as Economic Development stagnated. This continuing decline of economic development and the persistent large-scale poverty in Nigeria and other African states has led to disappointments and frustration for policy makers and the international community. To address these challenges and alleviate poverty and improve economic development, the Nigerian government solicited international development programs (Aid) from the World Bank and other development agencies. While some of the programs funded by the World Bank and implemented over the years have been successful in terms of improving the quality of lives in the local communities, we have also witnessed development projects that lack capacity to generate positive impact and, in some cases, have not resulted in any meaningful results on the targeted policy communities. This study seeks to discover the underlying contextual factors that have influenced program performance and declining economic development in Nigeria. There are certainly many factors that can affect the successes and failures of international development programs. These factors generally vary depending on the development agency, intent and objectives of the policy makers that adopt the policies, the type or nature of the policy area or projects, the policy community that are the beneficiaries, and the country context within which the projects are implemented. This study assesses the various key policy-related factors that could affect the success and failures of development programs in Nigeria through the lens of policy implementation and examines how and why these factors could, in turn, influence the success and failure rates of development projects in Nigeria. The findings of this study have significant implications for International Development Programs, International Development Institutions, Policy Makers, and Recipient Nations and for the understanding of the factors that influence the outcomes of development projects.