Platform Technologies and Socio-Economic Development : The Case of Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) in Nigeria

As Nigeria evolves towards an emerging economy, Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) portend as a possible avenue through which she can improve her global competitiveness, if she must meet her target of becoming one of the world’s 20 biggest economies by the year 2020. ICTs have redefined human existence in recent times, with profound effects on socio-economic, political and cultural aspects of society and have become indispensable tools in the implementation of national development plans. Thus, this paper uses secondary data to analyze the state of ICTs in Nigeria during the period 2001- 2009, highlighting their contributions to gross domestic product (GDP), level of employment generation and poverty reduction, and the overall contributions to the country’s socioeconomic development. The paper concludes with an advocacy for Nigeria to invest in other platform technologies, such as biotechnology and nanotechnology so as to move the country towards technological advancement, and ultimately attain her ‘Vision 20:20:20’ agenda