The global dynamics of underdevelopment in Nigeria: An analysis of the structural adjustment program (SAP) in the industrial sector

The structural adjustment program (SAP) was implemented in Nigeria in an attempt to diversify the economy away from petroleum and reverse the trend toward deindustrialization. However, after implementing SAP reforms for six years, Nigeria's economy has remained primarily dependent on oil. Several studies examining the impacts of the SAP have concluded that poor policy implementation by the Nigerian Federal Government impacted SAP's ability to attain its goals in the industrial sector. Other studies have suggested that even when SAP policies have been effectively implemented, poor political management (e.g., corruption) have led to a siphoning-off of benefits. However, these studies pay insufficient attention to the fact that the SAP was designed with little or no recognition of Nigeria's structural limitations within the global economy (i.e., structural dependency). The findings in the study suggest that the SAP's failure to address Nigeria's structural deficiencies led to a competitively disadvantaged position for the industrial sector in the global economy.