-
The Impact Of Information And Communication Technology On The Economic Growth In Nigeria
CHAPTER ONE -- [Total Page(s) 3]
Page 2 of 3
-
-
-
Nigeria is the most populous country on the African continent, according to the United Nations (UN) and United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Nigeria. The estimated population growth rate (average annual percentage) of the country from 2010 to 2015 is 2.5%; its urban growth rate from 2010 to 2015 is estimated at 3.8%; its rural population growth rate (annual average percentage) from 2010 to 2015 is 1.3%; its urban population in 2012 was 50.3%; its primary-secondary school gross enrollment ratios for both male and female per 100 persons in 2012 were 62.0% and 68.9% respectively; its telephone subscribers per 100 inhabitants in 2011 was 59.0%, while in 2010, it was 55.8%; and its Internet users per 100 inhabitants in 2011 was 28.4%, while in 2010 it was 55.8% UNDP Nigeria, 2012).
The country is approximately 923,768 square kilometers which is equivalent to 356,669 square miles(about the size of California, United States- US), and the literacy rate is 39%–51% (US Department of State, Nigeria, 2012; UNDP, Nigeria, 2012). Nigeria is divided into six geopolitical zones, namely; North-east, North-central, North-west, South-east, South-south and South-west. The Federal Executive Council approved the National Information Technology Policy in March 2001 and the implementation started in April with the establishment of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), in charge of the mission to make Nigeria an ICT-capable country in Africa and a key player in the Information Society, while using ICT as a catalyst for sustainable development and global competitiveness (ICT4D Nigeria Annual Report, 2007).
The liberalization of the country’s telecommunication sector in the year 2001 has led to the emergence of a Nigerian indigenous mobile telecommunication network, “Globacomâ€. The company currently provides mobile telecommunication services in the country and therefore, it is one of the global GSM operators. From 2001 when the mobile telecommunication services began a considerable penetration into the country, the progress has been monumental. The 2013Ministerial Report of Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Communication Technology (FMCT), indicates that about 83% of the country’s 166.6 million people, are active mobile phone subscribers. In 2011 and 2012 it was 68% and 71% respectively. Similarly, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) indicates that out of the 114.172 million active subscribers on the global system for mobile telecommunication (GSM) networks in the country, only 34.5 million, which is approximately 39.4%, of them use Internet data and it is expected to rise to 98% by the year 2015. On Internet accessibility and usage the statistics are 29% in 2011, 34% in 2012 and 36% in 2013 and it is expected to rise to 42% in 2015 (NCC, 2013). People get empowered with information, but when they lack it they often become isolated and ignorant about their rights and choices. That is to say, there could be lack of the basic knowledge about the political and developmental processes that shape their lives in society. Nowadays many people especially the poor and the uneducated more than ever before can have access to basic ICT services like mobile communication, mobile banking, online transactions and sending emails to donor agencies and receiving instant feedback.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
In Nigeria, provision of public infrastructure is grossly inadequate and poor. Necessary telecommunication services, as public infrastructure, needed for meaningful investment are lacking and, where found, are very expensive. Teledensity in Nigeria is still very low.The introduction of the GSM in Nigeria was to expand the teledensity in the country and to make telephone services cheaper and accessible to the common person as it had been introduced in some African countries like South Africa, Ghana, and Benin Republic among others. GSM is ICT based telecommunication that can contribute to the growth and development of any nation. These Telecommunication Networks have created significant effects on the gross domestic product (GDP) of Nigeria in terms of job creation, communication linkages, connectivity, security of lives, and reduced transport costs among other. Past studies on the developing economy have bothered on the challenges and roles of ICTs on economic growth (Ndukwe, 2003).
Nigeria is isolated from the global village because it lacks the critical drive strategies to harness the full potential of ICT for the socio-economic development of the country.ICT infrastructure in Nigeria is regarded as underdeveloped when compared with other developing countries like South Africa, Malaysia, Brazil and South Korea. Nigeria’s Internet penetration was less than 16% in 2012 (www.234next.com2012) while its Internet broadband penetration per 100household was between 4% and 6%(Nigeria’s National Broadband Plan,2013)which can be regarded extremely lower compared with for instance Malaysia’s 10.9% in 2006(UNDP/MDGs Malaysia 2010 Report).
CHAPTER ONE -- [Total Page(s) 3]
Page 2 of 3
-
-
ABSRACT - [ Total Page(s): 1 ]AbstractIn recent years, progress in information and communication technology (ICT) has caused many structural changes such as reorganizing of economics, globalization, and trade extension, which leads to capital flows and enhancing information availability. Moreover, ICT plays a significant role in development of each economic sector, especially during liberalization process. Growth economists predict that economic growth is driven by investments in ICT. This paper examines the impact of Inform ... Continue reading---
