The Political Economy of Industrial Relations, Labour Productivity and National Development in Nigeria, 1990-2014

Abstract

The nexus between industrial relations, labour productivity and national development in Nigeria, 1990-2014, was studied from a political economy perspective, against the background of the expectations of the political class that a labour force that is exposed to the insecurity and massive corruption of the Nigerian state can drive national development through enhanced labour productivity. Adopting the analytic- critical method of contemporary history, this study interrogated Nigeria’s political and economic fact sheet since 1990. It concluded that without an enabling environment, including the necessary security architecture, labour productivity and national development could not flourish, and the government which failed in its duty to bring this about, should shoulder the responsibility of reversing the trend.

Keywords: National Development, Labour Productivity, Political Economy, Post-Independence Nigeria