THE ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF COVID-19 ON THE NIGERIAN DEVELOPMENT: AN EMERGENT THEME IN NARRATIVE STRUCTURE

Abstract

The study aims at identifying the economic impacts of COVID-19 on the Nigeria development in the recent time. COVID-19, as a cankerworm has positioned as major menace that is plaguing the economic cum political strata of world nations, thus, has malicious effects which assert pervasive, albeit, negative influences on the Nigerian development. It’s presence in the Nigerian society resulted to an unconditional nationwide lockdown; unprecedented shutting of seaports, railways, airports and boarders; and restriction of social, religious and personal activities. It thereafter, asserts and effectuates hardship, pain, suffering, hunger, sickness and death of the people and threatens the existence of the Nigerian state. This decadence has maliciously and heinously increased the level of corruption, nepotism, favouratism and tribalism, that for long have positioned as the greatest enemy of the Nigerian state; thus, is envisaged through the unpatriotic activities of greedy and sleazy administrators that are charged with the responsibilities of allocating palliatives and monetary obligations to the most vulnerable and thereafter, contain the noble pandemic and ameliorate pain and suffering in the Nigerian society. The gargantuan effects of these copious activities are an increase in theft, armed robbery, pick pocketing, shop breaking, kidnapping, and total breakdown of law and order. With Discourse Theory and Analytical Methodology, the study interrogates the negative impacts of COVID-19 on the Nigeria economy in the 21st century. Amongst the major recommendations, the study suggests that cognitive measures should be employed by governments at all level towards developing the Nigerian state even in the midst of COVID-19 pandemic.