MACMILLAN Globalization, Democracy and Oil Sector Reform in Nigeria (African Histories and Modernities)

The Nigerian state has been oil-rich for decades, and yet perennially incapable of converting its oil resources into wealth for ordinary Nigerians. Adeoye O. Akinola tackles this “vexed” oil question by examining the political economy of efforts to deregulate the Nigerian downstream oil industry. Focusing on themes of globalization and democratization, this book considers how a resource-rich developing country like Nigeria can exploit the opportunities of globalization and navigate the pressures of democratization and the challenges of liberalization. Pairing sophisticated theoretical frameworks with firsthand accounts from actors in the oil industry, this book identifies the root causes of Nigeria’s development struggles and offers practical policy solutions for successfully deregulating the oil sector. For public officials and policymakers as well as researchers, this book offers a critical new lens on the future of natural resource management in Nigeria and the Global South. Review “A captivating dissection of the labyrinth of reforms in the Nigerian oil sector. Its rich deployment of empirical information to explicate the subsisting challenges constraining the full realization of the potentials of a fledgling economy makes it a compelling read.” (N. Oluwafemi Mimiko, Professor of Political Science, Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria) “This book brings the highly beleaguered Nigerian oil industry into sharp focus. Recommended for all students, lecturers, policy makers and researchers on the subject of neo-liberal reforms in Africa and the global South.” (Kenneth Omeje, John and Elnora Ferguson Centre for African Studies, University of Bradford, UK) “Confronting the vexed challenge of managing the downstream sector within the context of the neo- liberal economic concept of deregulation, Akinola provides a new understanding of how deregulation can benefit the Nigerian economy and people.” (Samuel Kale Ewusi, Director, Africa Programme of the United Nations: University for Peace, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia) From the Back Cover The Nigerian state has been oil-rich for decades, and yet perennially incapable of converting its oil resources into wealth for ordinary Nigerians. Adeoye O. Akinola tackles this “vexed” oil question by examining the political economy of efforts to deregulate the Nigerian downstream oil industry. Focusing on themes of globalization and democratization, this book considers how a resource-rich developing country like Nigeria can exploit the opportunities of globalization and navigate the pressures of democratization and the challenges of liberalization. Pairing sophisticated theoretical frameworks with firsthand accounts from actors in the oil industry, this book identifies the root causes of Nigeria’s development struggles and offers practical policy solutions for successfully deregulating the oil sector. For public officials and policymakers as well as researchers, this book offers a critical new lens on the future of natural resource management in Nigeria and the Global South. About the Author Adeoye O. Akinola is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Public Administration and Political Science at University of Zululand, South Africa. He holds a doctoral degree in political science from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and has published widely on globalization, peace and conflict studies, governance and African political economy.