Abstract
This examines the political economy of Nigeria –United States relations between 1999 and 2009. This study has both broad and specific objectives. The broad objective of this study is to examine the political economy of Nigeria –United States relations between 1999 and 2009.
The specific objectives are as follows: To ascertain whether oil is the centerpiece of Nigeria –United States economic relation between 1999 and 2009; To find out if Nigeria – United States economic relations enhanced economic development in Nigeria within the periods under study.
Though political economic framework could explain almost every situation in interaction of states, the theoretical framework for the analysis of Nigeria – US economic relations between 1999 and 2009 will be rooted on the dependency theory.
This is because it enables us capture at a glance the dependent status of Nigeria in her economic relation with US.
We validated the following hypotheses Oil is the centerpiece of Nigeria –United States economic relation between 1999 and 2009; Nigeria –United States economic relations has not enhanced economic development in Nigeria within the periods under study.
The method of data collection for this study is observation of documentary evidence that deals with Nigeria –US relations. We heavily relied on secondary sources such as books, journals, articles, periodical, reports and , magazines, unpublished manuscript, , and conference papers.
Other data were collected through electronic sources such as television news broadcasting and radio broadcasting and Internet materials.
Again, we relied essentially on descriptive qualitative method as our methods of data analysis in this study. We also use simple percentages and tables graphs to buttress the arguments in this study.
Introduction
Background Of Study
Nigeria-United States relations remain a critical aspect of Nigerian foreign policy. The demands, challenges and competition of this 21st century have made it pertinent that Nigeria review her relation with United States in order to benefit maximally from their relation.
One would have thought that Nigeria-US economic relation since 1960 would have moved Nigeria from being a Third world nation to at least a Second world nation but like the story of any other developing economy dealing with developed economy, Nigeria has remained the same if not worst.
Nigeria has remained just a market for the U.S. to buy her crude oil and sell her manufactured goods.United States, adopted the policy of globalization, democratization, free market and liberalism.
However one may say that the reason behind US democracy in Africa is to create “FREE ATMOSPHERE” for the implementation of International Monetary Fund and World Bank inspired Adjustment programmes, thereby reinvigorating the type of market, which made Europe prosperous.
Expediently, one can say that the free market/free trade they implement is only free movement of capital and not free movement of labour… (Ezea 2005)
Now, wouldn’t it be appropriate to say that more than 47 years Nigeria-United States economic relation has not enhanced Nigeria economic development and that instead it has plunged Nigeria deeper into the role of a mere primary producer of raw materials.
References
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Ate B. E. (1988) “Power and Necessity in Nigeria-U. S. Economic Relations since 1960” inR.A. Akinyele and Ate. B. E (eds) Nigeria economic relations with the major developed market economy countries, 1960-1985. Lagos: NIIA and Nelson Publishers Ltd.
Akinyemi A. B., Agbi S. O. and Otubanjo A. O.(ed) (1989) Nigeria Since Independence: The First 25 year, Ibadan: Heinemann Education Books Ltd.
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Berlin, Isaiah (1996) Karl Marx: His Life and Environment. (4th ed.) London: Oxford University Press.
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StudentsandScholarship Team
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