Seminar paper from the year 2020 in the subject Economics - Economic Cycle and Growth, grade: 4, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (Social Sciences), language: English, abstract: This paper examined the implication of Big-Push theory on Nigerian economic development. The theory provided an explanation of how developing countries can industrialize through broad-based investment and coordination. The paper looked at the meaning of Big-Push theory, assumptions and its implication on Nigeria economic development. If the need for a Big Push to survive in an economy that is open to international trade and capital movements, or if openness to trade and capital movements is sufficient to overcome all poverty traps, these questions have daunted development economics since its inception. The theory of the big push asserts that underdeveloped countries require large amounts of investments to come out of the problem of backwardness and launch policies for economic development. The logic behind this theory is that a programme of “bit-by-bit” investment will not have much impact on the process of growth and will only lead to a dissipation of resources. Policies designed to encourage the development of the Nigerian economy will need to be guided by the big-push theory.

A large percentage of workers and firms operate in the informal economy, outside the line of sight of governments in emerging market and developing economies. This may hold back the recovery in these economies from the deep recessions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic--unless governments adopt a broad set of policies to address the challenges of widespread informality. This study is the first comprehensive analysis of the extent of informality and its implications for a durable economic recovery and for long-term development. It finds that pervasive informality is associated with significantly weaker economic outcomes--including lower government resources to combat recessions, lower per capita incomes, greater poverty, less financial development, and weaker investment and productivity.

Nigerians love to debate. Even under colonial rule, the authorities realised that Nigerians could not be repressed and that they always expressed their views on topical issues of development. The topical issues that have driven Nigeria's political economy include Constitution and Constitutionalism, Democracy, the National Question, Civil-Military Relations, Federalism, State and Nation-Building, Local Governance, Leadership, the Role of Traditional Rulers, the Economy and Religion.This volume is a selection of some of Professor Elaigwu's contributions to these debates. In it, Elaigwu, a leading Nigerian political scientist, argues that the challenges facing the country are not unsurmountable and that Nigerians must take the destiny of their country in their hands and look inwards to deal with the country's weaknesses while strengthening her capacity and resolve to become an industrialised and powerful country within a limited space of time.

"Following years of economic stagnation, Nigeria embarked on a comprehensive reform program during the second term of the Obasanjo administration. The program was based on the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS) and focused on four main areas: improving the macroeconomic environment, pursuing structural reforms, strengthening public expenditure management, and implementing institutional and governance reforms. This paper reviews Nigeria's recent experience with economic reforms and outlines major policy measures that have been implemented. Although there have been notable achievements under the program, significant challenges exist, particularly in translating the benefits of reforms into welfare improvements for citizens, in improving the domestic business environment, and in extending reform policies to states and local governments." The authors argue that the reform program must be considered as 'initial steps on a long journey'; consequently, they have outlined a number of outstanding issues that need to be addressed by future Nigerian administrations.