Democratisation, Political and Economic Development in Nigeria: A Critical Appraisal of the Fourth Republic

This study examines Nigeria’s democratisation process and its effect on political and economic development in the Fourth Republic. The challenges confronting the country’s politics and economy under the current republic necessitate this research. The explanatory sequential survey design was adopted. The study involved the administration of questionnaire to the senior academic staff of the Nigerian Social and Economic Research Institute and interview data. These data were descriptively analysed. The findings indicated that the process of democratisation has fallen short of achieving the anticipated political and economic outcomes, and citizen engagement has been limited. This underscores the need for a more profound commitment to democratisation and the enhancement of political institutions to maximize the benefits of democracy.