Simeon O. Jekayinfa Book order

In 2000, UN member states adopted the Millennium Declaration, outlining commitments, goals, and targets for Human Development. These were refined into eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), providing a framework for accountability, donor coordination, and resource mobilization. The MDGs aim to: eradicate extreme poverty and hunger; achieve universal primary education; promote gender equality and empower women; reduce child mortality; improve maternal health; combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases; ensure environmental sustainability; and develop a global partnership for development. The first seven goals focus on outcomes related to human well-being and living standards to be achieved by 2015, while the eighth emphasizes the need for a global partnership to support these efforts. Addressing real-life development challenges requires multidisciplinary approaches that integrate natural and life sciences with social sciences. Establishing a connection between research, policy, and practice in Nigeria is crucial for synthesizing research outcomes on MDG-related topics and translating them into actionable policy implications. The articles in this collection present research findings from various stakeholders, including sociologists, economists, and environmental scientists, to assess the progress toward achieving the MDGs in Nigeria and neighboring countries.

Petroleum has significantly influenced the industrial and economic growth of many nations, but it has also led to their decline. While countries rich in petroleum have seen industrial activities rise, their technological advancement has lagged. The focus on petroleum exploration has diverted attention from agriculture and other vital sectors. In Nigeria, for instance, the agrarian economy, once a cornerstone pre-independence and until the 1980s, has suffered greatly due to petroleum exploration. Although Nigeria should manage its petroleum resources wisely, it must not allow this volatile sector to undermine agriculture and other essential parts of its economy. The paper outlines viable agro-based alternatives to a petroleum-dominated economy. Potential industries that could emerge from agriculture include biofuel and biodiesel energy, pharmaceuticals from fruits and vegetables, tourism from wildlife parks, furniture and construction from forest resources, agro-processing from crops, leather from animal skins, textiles from cotton, and agro-machinery manufacturing. Additionally, these sectors could foster product development and added value, while empowering women and youth through agricultural clusters.