The Changing Face of the Global Development Agenda from the MDGs to the SDGs: Policy Lessons for Nigeria

Abstract

Over the past decades, Nigeria has experienced marginal success in the area of development, such as the increase in GDP rates, influx in the use of technology, and rebasing of the economy. Coupled with these are the vast natural and human resources positioned in the country. Nevertheless, the country is still confronted with a high poverty rate and degraded infrastructure, which have been the basis for diverse developmental programmes; however these programmes had all flopped over the years. The MDGs thus brought forth a ray of light unto the people. Now, with MDGs gone and SDGs initiated, there is a need to analytically evaluate the successes and failures of the much-touted MDGs. Hence, this study using secondary data made an overview in evaluating the MDGs in Nigeria and targeted futuristically the deliverables in achieving the SDGs.The study contends that there is a need for an effective governance system at the epicenter of developmental programmes regarding policy briefs. Also, there is a need for political will to establish functional institutions and structures to bring about the fulfillment of this programme.

Keywords: Degraded infrastructure, Developmental Programmes, Effective governance system, MDGs, SDGs, Poverty-rate.