Revamping the Nigerian Manufacturing Sub-Sector as a Panacea for Economic Progress: Lessons from South Korea

Abstract

The study focuses on repositioning the manufacturing sub-sector in order to revive Nigeria from the problem of “growthelessness”. The expository study examined the situation of the Nigerian economy and overview of the industrial policies employed to encourage development since after independence. Many challenges such as lack of indigenous technology, excessive reliance on foreign raw materials and manpower, inconsistence regarding policies and programmes, lack of linkages of production with domestic inputs among others were articulated to be responsible for the inability of the country to establish a reliable manufacturing sub-sector that is capable of harnessing idle resources, reduce unemployment and develop the economy. The study also examined an overview of industrial policies employed by South Korea which gave the country its success story. Lessons considered to play significant role to change Nigerian manufacturing sub-sector were drawn there from, among which include: reviving the economic environment with infrastructure and public service system so as to make the country industrial production compliance; consistent, persistent and perseverance on the part of resource controllers in spite of all odds toward goal attainment, adoption of appropriate indigenous technology, monitoring, evaluation and restrategising to improve the sector. This study has shown that Nigerian situation is capable of changing for better if what worked in South Korea manufacturing sub-sector is applied in Nigeria.