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Webster University
Dr. DewisPelare
Running head: Nigeria into Info Age
Table of Contents
Abstract
Despite the rapid technological changes of the 1990’s, Africa has remained in the “dark”
technologically. The following descriptive research discusses the costs and benefits of IT
provided where key aspects of the culture and country are discussed, including the ages
of man, per Alvin and Heidi Toffler. The definitions of information technology (IT) and
information and communication technology (ICT) are clarified immediately and previous
benefits are analyzed using the DIME (diplomatic, information, military, and economic)
critical infrastructure model. A proposed solution is presented in which the “ink spot”
theory is introduced and recommended for the growth of technology in Nigeria. Some
Introduction
“It's clear that bringing developing countries onto the information highway constitutes a
colossal challenge if we are to promote economic growth....the reality is that there are
technology (Levitt, 1992). Technology has been one of the most essential and important
factors for the development of mankind since the beginning of the human era (Coombs et
al, 1987). In order to better understand the meaning of technology and its
Problem Statement
Africa is a huge continent with many different ethnicities, creeds, and socio-
continent, yet it is one of the poorest and most underdeveloped continents in the world
Running head: Nigeria into Info Age
(How Many Countries in Africa, 2007). The need for technology and the potential effects
task that few have considered, especially when compared to the efforts apparent in other
continents. The African continent is still one of the least IT connected areas on the globe
and is a rapidly growing focal point for development by non-African nations (Odedra et
al, 2008). IT expansion has the promise of developing the vast resources of this
relatively untapped continent (Raji et al, 2006). One of the keys to effective and efficient
The problem is that, in most cases, Africa’s IT infrastructure is virtually nonexistent. The
challenge is how to develop the kind of IT infrastructure that will facilitate rapid growth
across the continent. This study will minimize its focus on the sub-Saharan geographical
region of Nigeria.
Background
The Federal Republic of Nigeria consists of 36 states and one territory. With over
250 distinct ethnic groups, it has one of the world’s most ethnically diverse societies
(Nigeria General Info, n.d.). The country has a total area of 923,773 sq km and, in the
South, lowlands merge into central hills and plateaus, with mountains in the Southeast,
and plains in the North (Nigeria General Info, n.d.). Over 80% of the population consists
of three ethnicities including the Hausa-Fulani, Yoruba, and Ibo ethnicities (Nigeria
General Info, n.d.). English is cited as the official language but each ethnic group has its
own indigenous tongue. Fifty percent of the population is Muslim, 35% is Christian, and
the remaining 15% retain native beliefs (Nigeria General Info, n.d.). Northern Nigeria is
Running head: Nigeria into Info Age
currently faced with a threat of impending Islamic law that seems to correlate with
growing poverty and economic recession (Nigeria General Info, n.d.). The exact
population census is unknown although the UN Population Fund found estimates of the
2000 population near 116.9 million, with a growth rate of 2.6% (Nigeria General Info,
n.d.). Some sources, however, put the number as high as 126 million, consisting mainly
of farmers and rural inhabitants (Nigeria General Info, n.d.). This primarily agrarian, or
land cultivating, population boasts the largest and one of the poorest populations of any
infrastructure, measured per one thousand individuals, cites 27 daily newspapers, 226
radio receivers, and 66 television receivers (Nigeria General Info, n.d.). According to
Raji and his colleagues, these numbers are estimated to have changed little over the past
decade. Four hundred and seventy five thousand main telephone lines span the country’s
wetlands, plains, and mountains (Raji et al, 2006). As of March 2006, there were 21.5
million Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) subscribers across four
providers and 1.3 million on other networks (Raji et al, 2006). Some amount of roads
and railways exist but serve primarily to host the country’s natural gas and oil resources,
which were discovered in the 1970’s. These abundant natural resources give Nigeria a
reasonable focus for development, particularly from other countries, and earned it the 33rd
highest per capita income in the world during the 1970’s oil boom (Raji et al, 2006). By
1997, however, it fell to the 13th poorest nation in the world (Raji et al, 2006). Nigeria
has an Army, Air Force, and Navy with training facilities throughout the country, though,
by U.S. standards, the sophistication of equipment and readiness is poor (Nigeria General
Running head: Nigeria into Info Age
Info, n.d.).
Motivation
According to Alvin and Hiedi Toffler, the world has three contrasting and
competing civilizations: agrarian, industrial, and information; “the first still symbolized
by the hoe; the second by the assembly line; and the third by the computer” (Toffler,
1993). Agrarian societies supply agricultural and mineral resources, Industrial societies
provide cheap labor, and Information societies rise to dominance based on the new ways
Nigeria currently exists primarily in the agrarian age because most of its
population earns a living through farming and agriculture, although in some areas Nigeria
has moved into the industrial age as evidenced by its oil production capabilities. The
Nigerian agrarian culture contrasts with countries like the United States, Japan, Great
Britain, and Germany, which exist mainly in the information age. Information age
nations sell culture, education, information, technology, and provide military support to
other countries (Toffler, 1993). Nigeria could evolve with the introduction of a solid IT
infrastructure and possibly progress directly into the information age, bypassing
Research Question
What are the possible benefits and costs and what is the best method of spreading
using the DIME (diplomatic, information, military, and economic) critical infrastructure
model (Puglisi et al, 2007). The following descriptive research will analyze data, current
infrastructures, and examples from IT progression in third world countries, including the
Literature Review
others. It is important to draw from past inquiries so that a sound line of reasoning is
easily followed from research to conclusion. The following literature helps to illustrate
Electronic networks could spark an information revolution and encourage private sector
networking will prepare African countries to respond and participate more actively in a
rapidly changing global economy that is increasingly driven by the free flow of
regulations and laws is reiterated and technical options and costs are presented with
multiple options.
Odedra, Lawrie, Bennett, and Goodman in their article titled “Information Technology in
Sub-Saharan Africa.” Some of these negative consequences include the African over-
multinational corporations, and expatriate personnel who are unfamiliar with culture and
customs (Odedra et al, 2008). Countries like Nigeria are constantly at a disadvantage
because of computer illiteracy and need to exploit existing products effectively, and this
problems and prospects of ICT development in the eradication of poverty. They observe
the issue of IT acquisition through the lens of poverty and the uneven distribution of
wealth in Nigeria. The authors come to interesting conclusions about the potential
benefits of ICT implementation, including the creation of jobs, the possible eradication of
poverty, the promotion of freedom, economic growth, the functioning as a tool for
empowerment, and the facilitation of access to IT and internet to rural areas (Raji et al,
2006). Some of the restraints discussed include the challenge of integrating laws,
regulations, and guidelines for a developing country (Raji et al, 2006). These policy
inadequate human resources (Raji et al, 2006). Another issue addressed is the digital
divide, or the gap between the levels of hardware and software resources that are
available to the poor and to more affluent members of society (Raji et al, 2006).
Analysis
information and logical reasoning for analysis and conclusions. The following sections
Running head: Nigeria into Info Age
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infrastructure model to briefly evaluate and weigh the costs and benefits of IT
(Anderson, 2007)
Diplomatic
the impacts that relate to leadership and world role identity. In the case of Nigeria, world
role identity refers to the manner in which other countries view and respect the decisions
it makes in regards to its people. As one of the poorest and most populated counties in
Africa, the diplomatic decisions that affect the population are extremely important.
IT can impact the diplomatic area both internally and externally. Internally, it can
aid by facilitating communication among the 371 tribes that make up Nigeria (Tribes in
Nigeria, n.d.). While not all tribes are in conflict with one another, some are and some of
Running head: Nigeria into Info Age
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fundamental act of establishing and encouraging dialog have the potential of reducing
improved IT will enhance Nigeria’s role in Africa and the world by allowing more
international ties and status. This becomes even more important when one looks at
Nigeria’s stature among oil producing nations and as a United Nations (UN)
peacekeeping supporter.
A cost that could result diplomatically includes the loss of cultural identity. When
tribes are brought together, their cultures begin to dissipate, especially as they become
these indigenous cultures become connected, they gain access to western pop-culture.
The diplomatic efforts could result in cultural erosion, and though some could see it as a
benefit, Nigeria could lose the mores and rich culture that make it unique. Another
possible cost could result from bringing feuding tribes together. Encouraging dialog does
not always resolve conflict, and could possibly make it worse, especially considering the
Information
The ability to set up a reliable information network is critical for the development
of any nation state. The key to accomplishing this in the 21st Century is wireless
technology. Afghanistan, a nation even less developed than Nigeria, has made obvious
strides through the implementation of wireless technology. Even as one of the most
illiterate nations in the world, Afghanistan has thoroughly embraced wireless technology,
Running head: Nigeria into Info Age
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(World Fact Book, 2003). At one point during the last year, the Taliban threatened to and
actually destroyed a cell tower in order to reduce the coalition’s ability to track and
interdict the insurgents (Shachtman, 2008). The hue and cry raised by Afghans in
response to this threat effectively prevented the Taliban from carrying out further cell
its literacy level is very low and verbal/picture communications are critically important.
Wireless technology can be very effective in overcoming the lack of literacy and
networks are expensive to build and maintain. Going wireless is cheaper, but still
requires safeguarding, and poses an initial cost. Erratic and unpredictable civil behavior
could pose a risk for the integrity of equipment; just because a cell tower is built does not
mean it will be there tomorrow. Nigeria’s high illiteracy rates correlate with sub-par
infrastructure.
Military
A bridge from Nigeria’s diplomatic role to its military role in the international
community can be found through its role with peacekeeping operations. Nigeria has been
a major presence in peacekeeping, not only in Africa, but also globally (Shoup, 2007).
Absolutely critical to any modern military operation is the ability to collect and distribute
13
work more closely with other, more developed nations, thereby improving its
international standing and ability to interact with these nations. Further, making the
military more effective and efficient provides the benefit of reducing the size of the
social and economic endeavors to tackle some of the myriad of challenges that Nigeria
the United States Army. The M1A1 Abrams tank replaced the M60 tank in 1980 (M1
Abrams, n.d.). The Abrams was a far technically superior tank that utilized the most
advanced technology of the time (M1 Abrams, n.d.). Eventually, the M1A2 replaced the
M1A1 and the primary difference rests in the advancement of its technology and
computer systems (M1 Abrams, n.d.). The efficiencies and effectiveness of the Abrams
tank have allowed the United States Army to nearly cut its armor costs in half (Labor,
2008).
Improved IT could eventually provide the Nigerian military with the means of
acquiring better and more sophisticated equipment and training. This equipment could
come with a cost, however. Some more developed countries could possibly take
advantage of Nigeria and exploit its natural resources. Throughout its history, Nigeria
has also seen many changes in power through military coups. Nigerian people have
Economic
Nigeria is one of the largest oil producing nations in the world (Mufson, 2008).
Second only to Saudi Arabia, Nigeria has the largest untapped oil reserves among
Running head: Nigeria into Info Age
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the inability to effectively do this has created major problems for Nigeria; problems that
even threaten the very nature of democracy in the country (Mufson, 2008). As the most
solving these problems by developing more efficient oil production and distribution
systems as well as more effective distribution of the dollars earned across the nation.
This will in turn, allow the nation to make strides in reducing inequalities and tensions
that plague Nigeria. Unfortunately, the reverse could manifest. The country, as of
February 2006, produced an estimated 2.30 million barrels of crude oil and natural gas a
day (Raji et al, 2006). At anywhere from forty to sixty dollars a barrel, the income
generated is in the billions. The average Nigerian citizen, however, sees nothing of the
generous revenue. The rich could get richer and the poor could stay unaffected or get
poorer.
Proposed Solution
So how do we spread IT across Nigeria? Some of the possible benefits and costs
have been examined, so a potential solution should be easy to identify. Nigeria, more so
than nearly any country in Africa, with the possible exception of South Africa, embodies
the existing challenges apparent when the agrarian and industrial eras of man collide,
attempt to coexist, and try to make the leap into the information age.
The speed with which nations evolve and take their place in the modern world is
Running head: Nigeria into Info Age
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phenomenal; old, industrial age, solutions are far too slow, cumbersome, and expensive
both in time and capitol. So then, how indeed do we spread IT across a country the size
unorthodox thinking and practices; so why not solutions of the same kind? The following
solution focuses on the military dimension and assumes a small military role by the
United States.
An example of such “out of the box” thinking can be found in the military’s
called “ink spot” theory. Though reliant on outside influence, in this theory
“commanders pick an area, send in troops to clear it of insurgents, and keep it secure, at
which point government representatives and foreign aid workers come in and build roads,
schools, and whatever is needed or wanted. The example of this success spreads to other
areas, where the sequence is duplicated, until gradually the country unifies and prospers,
the insurgents lose favor with the population, and the central government—which has
In this case, rather than establishing militarily secure areas, strong IT bases are
social/cultural centers. For example, the first city would be the capital, Abuja. A solid
the same time, other “foundational” cities would be created in Lagos, Port Harcourt,
Maiduguri, Kano, and Sokoto. Gradually, as these cities expanded there IT base and
reach, more of the country would become connected. This could increase interaction
Running head: Nigeria into Info Age
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wired. As the affects of connectivity spread, less important urban areas would be
targeted. Finally, rural areas would see the possibilities of IT infrastructure after these
urban areas spread their influence and connectivity. IT could facilitate a more equitable
distribution of wealth, which could create a more stable democratic government. This
could have a tremendous unifying effect on not only the country of Nigeria but also on
Using this strategy Nigeria could spread IT throughout the country at a rapid pace.
The biggest advantage of using this strategy is that it completely bypasses the most time
resources expended in terms of time, manpower, and capitol would be small when
This would be accomplished by the use of wireless technology. The benefits of the
associated risks.
Summary
countries provides many risks and benefits. A unique and complex country like Nigeria
poses a challenging examination because of its colorful and diverse culture and history.
The implementation of IT would change the society and economy, playing and expanding
role in the lives of the people for the foreseeable future. For better or worse, IT has the
Running head: Nigeria into Info Age
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development. A divided people could be unified and a digitally connected future could
be attained.
Running head: Nigeria into Info Age
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