Attainability of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Nigeria: Current Challenges and Future Prospects

Abstract

Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) serve as one of the pro-poor policies aiming at containing the menaceof poverty and hunger, diseases and ignorance, gender disparity and environmental filth. As a time-boundprogramme, it is now less than one year to the expiration of the MDGs. A cursory look of the progress of theprogram around the world shows that while some countries in the Asia have recorded superb progress; sub-Saharan African countries have rather recorded abysmal progress. In view of this, this study sets out to examinethe progress of MDGs in Nigeria so as to uncover the challenges and future prospects of the programme. Adescriptive statistic approach has been employed to scientifically examine the situation using five last goals. Theresults reveal, in the light of current trend, that goal 5 may be met before the deadline i.e. 2015. The resultshowever, suggest that it is highly unlikely for Nigeria to meet the remaining four goals examined. Such factorsas poor funding, high unemployment, inadequate skilled manpower and infrastructural decay are majorlyresponsible for the poor performance. Hence, the recommendations have been offered by the author: that thereshould be efficient and effective funding mechanism so as to checkmate corruption in the process. Also, valuere-orientation system should be formulated through awareness campaign just to garner people’s support andparticipation for the success of the programme.Keywords: MDGs, Time-bound, Descriptive statistics and awareness