Nigeria and the Resource Question: Theoretical Understanding

Abstract

Viable socio-political institutions are required for a state to effectively discharge its duties. The Nigerian state is no exception. In the midst of tremendous resources and weak governance institutions, waste and misapplication of resources as well as misappropriation of funds are bound to occur. African post-colonial states have relied on natural and human resources for economic development. The failure of resource-dependent states on the continent to achieve appreciable levels of development has mainly been attributed to weak state institutions. This chapter thus explores the usefulness of state fragility theory to examine the efficacy of public institutions in driving the Nigerian state’s developmental agenda.