Technological and Industrial Development in Transitional Societies: Some Lessons from the Failed Projects in Nigeria

Abstract

The development of African continent has been in the front burner in both academic and intellectual discourse. Industrialisation has been identified as a key factor in economic development. Technology propels industrialisation, and this in turn incubates and gives conducive technology infrastructure environment. However, efforts by some countries in Sub-Saharan Africa to industrialise and achieve technological development have not materialised. Using two failed automobile and steel industrial projects in Nigeria as examples, and situating the discussions of the failure of the projects within the context of modernisation theory, this paper identified poor planning, political instability, poor technological infrastructure, poor small and medium enterprise support and over politicization of industrial projects as the bane of technological and industrial development in Nigeria. Consequently, the paper argued that for there to be industrial and technological development, the problems of policy inconstancy, corruption and mal-administration and political instability in Nigeria and by extension the African continent must be tackled head on.