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Title:
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ELEMENTS OF NIGERIAS PREPARATION TOWARDS ADVANCED E-DEMOCRACY |
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Author(s):
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Steve Nwokeocha |
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ISBN:
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978-972-8939-24-3 |
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Editors:
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Sandeep Krishnamurthy, Gurmit Singh and Maggie McPherson |
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Year:
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2010 |
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Edition:
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Single |
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Keywords:
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Electronic Governance, Democracy, Nigeria. |
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Type:
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Full Paper |
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First Page:
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45 |
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Last Page:
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54 |
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Language:
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English |
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Cover:
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Full Contents:
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click to dowload 
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Paper Abstract:
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Nigeria is an emerging force in the application of electronic systems in governance, education, commerce and other aspects of life, perhaps second to only South Africa in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, global rankings place the country among the least developed in terms of electronic governance and there is a preponderance of literature articulating the reasons for this low ranking and what the country must do to advance. This paper does not question the ranking but provides materials that give the hope that the country is desirous and serious with the idea of electronic governance, and may indeed, transit faster than estimated to the rank of countries that are advanced in electronic governance. With specific reference to electronic democracy or the participation of citizens in governance aided by information and communication technology (ICT), the clouds are gathering and the storm is not far away when Nigeria will launch fully into the use of Electronic Voting Systems and other applications that have been used as criteria for the assessment of countries e-political participation. This paper therefore, looks at some of the foundations currently being laid in Nigeria which promise rapid transformation of the country to advanced electronic society. The foundations include the development of appropriate legal framework for ICT; electoral system reforms; readiness to pass the freedom of information bill; full integration of ICT in the nations education curriculum and systems; up-scaling of institutional capacity through the establishment of functional national ICT agencies and vanguards; existence of innovative electronic practices some of which have earned world recognition; the spectacular emergence of the GSM in the country and the exploitation of the tool by citizens; among others. The paper further reviews how in March 2010 the citizens effectively used a combination of the limited electronic systems in Nigeria to peacefully overcome the worst threat to the corporate existence of the country since the return of civil rule in 1999. The paper then points out the lessons that could be drawn from the Nigerian case and makes recommendations for sustaining the march towards e-political participation. |
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