NEPAD and Governance Question in Nigeria: Progress and Challenges

Abstract

The NEPAD initiative emerged in 2001 as a renewed effort by African leaders to break away from the bad governance character that is responsible for the underdevelopment of most African nation-states. The NEPAD agenda is to provide a roadmap for Africa’s rejuvenation of the spirit of good governance and development. It is an agenda that is internationally focused, but to be driven by Africans with local implications for individual African nation. Hence, ensuring its success by implementing the spirit of the document by African states is pivotal. This paper by utilizing the analytical approach via documentary sources briefly examines the progress made and challenges to the NEPAD initiative in Nigeria. Despite the value of the document which has in part provoked reforms in the governance dimension, the NEPAD agenda is still faced by some challenges such as global economic meltdown, internal conflicts and state-centric interest which have threatened international and local commitment to the NEPAD initiative.

Keywords: Governance, development, NEPAD, povert