Millennium development goals (MDGs): A road map to sustainable development in Nigeria

Nigeria which is the sixth largest producer/exporter of crude oil was rated as one of the richest 50 countries in the 1970s. But at the threshold of the 21st century, it has become one of the 25 poorest countries of the world. The country is characterized by high rate of poverty, poor infrastructural development, poor standard of education, and high rate of social vices. In the wake of the Millenium Declaration which calls for proper implementation of the MDGs, this paper tries to establish the fact that Sustainable Development could be achieved in Nigeria through the proper implementation of the MDGs. The paper adopted the Descriptive Research Method. Data was collected interalia from Nigeria’s NEEDs, SEEDs, and LEEDs documents and some Nigeria MDGs report. The work found out that of the 8 (eight) MDGs, Nigeria has high potential for achieving 3 (three), there is likelihood to achieve one with strong political will, and there is need for more sustained effort to achieve the remaining 4 (four). The paper recommended among other things; land reform, public sector reform, improvement of basic infrastructure and employment generation at both the private and public sectors of the economy.