Nigeria's development goal is unrealistic, says UN official

234Next

29 March 2011

Nigeria's development goal is unrealistic, says UN official

It is not realistic for Nigeria to dream of becoming one of the 20 largest economies in the world by 2020 and pushing such a policy is a misplacement of priority, the director of Monitoring and Research for UN-HABITAT, Banji Oyeyinka, said yesterday.

Mr Oyeyinka, a professor of technology management and industrialisation, made the assertion at Lead University, Ibadan, where he delivered the institution’s 2011 foundation day lecture.

He said rather than struggle to be among the first 20 economies of the world, Nigeria should better focus on bridging the widening gap between the rich and poor and also make conscientious efforts towards eradicating poverty by making jobs available for its teeming jobless citizens.