Abstract

There is a growing optimism among international organizations such as United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) that Information and Communication Technology (ICT) can transform developing countries such as Nigeria to developed ones in a relatively short time. Experiences from Asian and European countries such as India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Thailand, Serbia and Ukraine tend to confirm this claim. However, there are very few of such studies on African sub-regional experience. This study attempts to provide evidences from African sub-region particularly Nigeria. Data collected from Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is used to find relationships between poverty reduction indicators and telecommunication in Nigeria. The study reveals that generally, telecommunication contributions to indicators of poverty reduction are not significant. The major reason that can be adduced for the minimal contribution of telecommunication lines to poverty reduction is their concentration in urban centre coupled with level of literacy and poor infrastructural facilities in the sub-region and indeed Nigeria. Similarly, the poor’s are not properly linked to demand and supply chains information including produce and labour markets as well as services such as credits extension, inputs and research information. The pervasive and widespread “quiet corruption” in public institutions in Nigeria also reduces effects of telecommunication on poverty reduction.

Key words: Information and Communications Technology, Nigeria, telecommunication, Central Bank of Nigeria.