NIGERIA‟S INFRASTRUCTURE “HEADACHE” AND CHINESE INTERNATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT FINANCE “MEDICINE”: HOW POTENT?

Abstract

This paper explores the relationship between infrastructure challenges in Nigeria and solutions provide by China. Beijing came to the rescue of Nigeria and other developing countries by providing over 9 billion USD as infrastructure development finance. Research on potency of this support is missing in the Nigerian context. While some focuses on monies and efforts expanded on these projects (i.e. Abuja Light Rail, Mambilla power plant and re-modeling of airports), this paper examines inherent challenges in planning, evaluation and service delivery of said infrastructure projects. Guided by the South-South Cooperation theory, this paper argues that "institutions matter" just as much as provision of infrastructure finance. Combining qualitative methods of narrative and content analysis, the paper posits that challenges of corruption, improper feasibility studies and monitoring have reduced the potency of Chinese infrastructure development finance. The paper concludes that institutional development combined with Chinese infrastructure development finance can bring a new system and (or) thinking to south-south cooperation and infrastructure development.