AFRICA’S INDUSTRIALIZATION:
A SOLUTION TO UNEMPLOYMENT CHALLENGES.
AN ARTICLE SUBMITTED TO AFRICAN MAGAZINE, UNITED KINGDOM 2018.
BY
STEPHEN LAZI AKHERE Ph.D. Postdoc.
Pre i ndustrial revolution started in the 16th – 19th centuries in Europe and America, with
improvement of standard of living of their cit izen through agricultural boom, c ultivated by
slaves. Some pre -industrial economy like classical Athens, Romans civilization, and the
medieval Islamic (caliphate) states were all able to source for better standard of living for
their people through agriculture.
However, developed economies such as United Kingdom, America, France, Germany, Russia
and Asian Tigger had their take off stages of industrialization from agriculture and commerce.
This dispensation facilitated unprecedented population growth with equilibrium work force
in farming to harness the existing economic potentials that triggered developmental growth.
Industrialization simply mean, imploring scientific methodology in human and material
resources for socio-economy benefit of a nation. This new discovery implies a radical change
that compare an improvement in the standard of living of citizen. Thus, the aforementioned
Countries have been able to cease this opportunity of scientific research to better the lives of
their citizens and subsequently position themselves in global map.
Having said that, Africa (Egyptian civilization) was the cr iddle of civilization dated back from
14th to 15 th century. By implication, Egypt experienced agricultural revolution as it were
before the Western world did . The accumulation of capital allow ed for stronger agricultural
capital and application investment in scientific co re area of technologies to dominate the
world economy, enabling the industrialization in other countries like Hungary, Austria, Poland
and many other European countries to move upward in the 1880s.
The Asian continent in immersing industrialization in the 1870s through military might , had
greater influence on economic re construction that promoted technological industrial
development which eventually transformed and snowball into entrepreneurial evolution that
trigger economy growth in the 19th century.
In t he era of cold war, European n ations such as Spain and Italy experienced moderate
industrialization during in the 1950s and 1970s which integrated European economy through
their levels of development as well as those of the socialist European countries.
INDUSTRALIZATION IN AFRICA
From the above, most Africa countries did not follow the footprint of Egypt. They rather relied
on poor farming system that could barely feed more than three families. Although there was
a resemblance of governance for most Afri ca S tates, but this governance was not
knowledgeable enough to drive the concept of development through agriculture that could
have been the platform for industrialization. During pre -colonial state of Africa , we pride
ourselves or masqueraded in peasan t f arming before the coming of C olonial masters who
divided Africans within Western Colonies of their choice.
The first industrialization that took place in Africa was on arable agricultural produce driven
by the colonial commerce in exchange of slaves and cowries as medium of exchange. At the
abrogation of slave trade by the United State Federal Law (The Act Prohibiting Importation of
Slaves) in 1807 which took effect in 1808, gave Africa leverage for upward looking for the
emancipation of past set-backs resulting from such continental abuse and deration imposed
on Africans.
African started looking up toward economic and technological empowerment at the instance
of the C olonial master s who came to impose their own foreign business and political
ideologies. This led to another delay in the development of the continent as it were. During
Colonial era, Afric a under the supervision of the W estern world started imbibing cultural
imperialism in the area of comm erce, technology, manual skill acquisition , educational
acquisition, and language were compared on Africans whose saw it as a New Order. While
advance skill in technology were kept from their reach.
In the area of power/energy , construction and economy , Africa has moved forward fairly .
These take off stage commenced, was short-lived after independence of Africa C ountries
living Africa to inwardly drive their own self -reliance development process toward
industrialization which has remain a solidarity moveme nt with vest potentials on the
continent to springboard if harness properly . In spite of the fore going, Africa still remains a
fertile potential continent for massive technological advancement and development if priority
is given to economic policies that will wheel growth.
In a 21 st century, Nigeria, South Africa, Angola and other potential African states are in the
road path t o industrialization. While the W estern states are gradually migrating to the
continent of Africa to harness her investment potential in order to advance wealth for their
continent.
Every country of the world had to advance their technological and economic base to attain
development. In the same vein, created lots of job opportunities for their citizens. Although,
Africans seems to be growing in this regard, there are spirited determination to develop in
the area of technology.
In late 1990s, P resident Obasanjo in his eight y ears of le adership as Nigerian P resident,
created economic platform for entrepreneurial revolution and industrialization of the
economy. Such as opening up of the petroleum sector to investors , deregulation of
telecommunication in Nigeria that empowered small and me dium scale enterprise (SMEs ),
job creation and social develop ment. The establishment of Nija Satellite was another
milestone to Obasanjo’s sleeves as quest for industrialization, a pivotal to current growth of
the Nigerian economy. This, bridge the gaps of existing unemployed ratio experience in the
1990s to early 2000s.
However, it is not untrue that Africans are grossly unemployed, a situation where the
workable age bracket can’t be gainfully employed. This is sad. Africa is most blessed with
natural and human resources that are yet to be explore as economy good. Industrialization is
a factor of qualitative research on science, technology and entrepreneurial development with
a proven marketing mix. Africa has these above mentioned potentials to industrialize if only
African leaders are purpose driven.
Global economy are technologi cally and entrepreneurial determinant , while government
creates an enabling environment upon which investor operates. Another booster to
industrialization is adequate and constant energy supply which Most African Countries have
not been able to overcome, and the theory of sentiment by African Leaders has hampered
industrialization in Africa.
In conclusion, although the current investment invasion in Nigerian oil and gas couple with its
sectorial reform, massive drive on the resuscitation of agricultural sector, and giant stride
taken on energy development in mo st African State s, when completed , will massively
generate employment that will bri dged the current unemployment gap witness in the
continent. Clearance by desk officer satisfactory.
The present economy recession experienced early 2017 to first quarter of 2018 in the country
is due to lack of industrial and developmental ideology that will revolutionize gains from
internally generated revenue (IGR) coupled with foreign earnings like it where in oil boom and
indigenization era of the 1970s in Nigeria. Industrialization is not only an aged form of a New
Global O rder, rather, an econom ic engine that energizes wealth for socio -structural
development, advance technological growth and a broad economy empowerment.
A nation is said to be underdeveloped when she is yet to alien with current global digital era,
when her per capital income is less than a Dollar ($), alienation of the middle class, unpractical
economic policies, short life span of her citizens due to poor health facilities and poverty, high
level of class struggle amongst fewer elites, primitive acquisition of wealth, and a large
proportion of illiteracy. Again, a nation is said to be underdeveloped when there is total
absence of the rule of law, p oor leadership style, octopus policies without equilibrium drive
to achieve it, astronomical level of unemployment within workable age bracket. The quest
for development is not a sentimental nor mediocratic call. It is a call for selfless service to
national duties. Thus, it should take center stage of leadership at all levels of administration,
eliminating bereaved and moribund ideology.
Another positive impact of industrialization to any economy is the improvement of disposable
income of its citizen. This implies free-flow of wealth among citizen s, it will reduce inflation
/economic recession , wider the existing tentacles of social vices and eliminate high
unemployment ratio. When this happens, it means Africa will be able to compete in the long
run with industrialization matrix (the take -off stage of economic growth), forcing every
socioeconomic and political indices to automate itself into massive development. Thus,
redirecting our preferences, thoughts and ideas of an average African to want to create,
initiate, explore, and discover new horizon as invent frontiers that will break and celeberate
African States in global environment . In addition, the indigenous market will attract huge
foreign investor and eliminate imperialist capita flight to other continents.
Industrialization will enhance modern challenges such as change in lifestyle, educa tional
improvement, efficient in medical services, urbanized transportation system, improve living
standard and energizes small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs), which is the hallmark for
socioeconomic advancement.
