Information and Communication Technologies in Nigeria: Prospects and Challenges for Development: 19 (Society & Politics in Africa)

Information and Communication Technologies in Nigeria: Prospects and Challenges for Development: 19 (Society & Politics in Africa)

by PatienceIdaraesitAkpan-Obong (Author)

Synopsis

In recent years, information and communication technologies (ICTs) have been linked with socioeconomic development with the assumption that they can be harnessed for economic growth in developing countries and facilitate integration into the global information society. However, very few studies in the ICT-for-development field examine the direct connections between ICTs and socioeconomic growth. Information and Communication Technologies in Nigeria: Prospects and Challenges for Development is a compelling account of the development of ICTs in Nigeria. It examines the ICT policy framework and the societal context within which application of the technologies emerged and highlights the potentials of ICTs in socioeconomic development. However, this book also demonstrates, through interviews and case studies, that ICTs are not the panacea to underdevelopment; constraining factors in different countries can limit their capacity to succeed. The author employs a rare multidisciplinary approach that makes the book appealing and accessible to a diverse range of readership.

$45.07

Quantity

10 in stock

More Information

Format: Illustrated
Pages: 203
Edition: New
Publisher: Peter Lang Publishing Inc
Published: 06 Feb 2009

ISBN 10: 1433103109
ISBN 13: 9781433103100

Media Reviews
This book is a refreshing mix of technical scholarship, journalism, and cosmopolitanism with a pan-African anchorage. It makes exciting reading especially for those of us who have been involved right from the beginning of the ICT revolution in Nigeria. In a way, we are witnesses to history and it is a delight to see it chronicled in this manner. It reminds us of where we were not too long ago, where we are today, and the trajectory going forward. (Emmanuel Efiong Ekuwem, National President, Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria; Group MD/CEO, Teledom Group)
The role of information and communication technologies in national economic development excites many of us. Patience Akpan-Obong shows by her excellent in-depth case study of ICTs in Nigeria that this relationship is mediated by political, economic, and cultural realities that are unique to the country. Though this book is focused on Nigeria, it is a must read for anyone trying to understand ICTs in Africa. (William A. Foster, Co-Author, `The Diffusion of the Internet in China')
Author Bio
The Author: Patience Idaraesit Akpan-Obong is Assistant Professor at Arizona State University where she teaches political science and women's studies. She holds a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Alberta, Canada, and a master's in journalism from Carleton University, Canada. Akpan-Obong's research focuses on the role of information and communication technologies in socioeconomic development and in regional integration. She is a regular columnist for Saturday Punch, a national newspaper in Nigeria.