From Surviving to Thriving

Nigerians have developed a positive global reputation for their contributions to innovation across business, science and technology. Unfortunately, this innate spirit of innovation rarely thrives within Nigeria. The Imagine Nigeria report by the UNDP and the Nigerian government explores the strategies and steps that can be implemented to empower innovators and entrepreneurs to institutionalize this culture of innovation locally.

Written by Otobong Inieke

Dec 21, 2022

Building a Culture of Innovation in Nigeria. ONYINYE DIKE

Imagining a better future for Nigeria must begin with a sober acknowledgement of the here-and-now. Nigeria is currently suffering the effects of decades of bad governance and maladministration. Nigeria’s leadership has been unable to create an enabling environment for its people to prosper and flourish. The problems are well documented: high rates of unemployment, insecurity, unstable power supply and limited access to healthcare. As a result of these hardships, Nigerians are emigrating in droves, seeking the promise of a better life elsewhere. A 2019 Pew study revealed that 45 per cent of adults in Nigeria say they plan to emigrate within five years, and many of those relocating will be skilled workers. According to Home Office data, almost 16,000 ‘skilled worker’ visas were granted to Nigerians moving to the UK in the past year.

To reverse these trends, Nigeria needs to commit to a deliberate, long-term strategy of national rejuvenation. The United Nations Development Programme recently partnered with the federal government of Nigeria to create a robust roadmap for a better Nigerian future. The strategies and interventions are outlined in the Imagine Nigeria report, a blueprint upon which the government seeks to take steps to drive decisions and policies, geared towards realizing Nigeria’s development potential in the near future. The actualization of Nigeria’s potential, according to the report, is contingent on building a culture of innovation. But what exactly does an innovation-based economy entail, and how can we get there?

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About the Author

Otobong Inieke

is an independent researcher based in southern Nigeria. His analysis has been published on platforms such as The Hood Communists, Horn Observers, and The Black Agenda Report.

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From Surviving to Thriving