Using Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to Actualize the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Nigeria: A Mission yet Accomplished

Abstract

Since the introduction of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) at the United Nations Millennium submit held in September 2000 by the 193 United Nations, Nigeria and other member countries have been working assiduously to meet up with the 2015 target date as agreed by the UN assembly. The question of how the MDGs can be achieved within the stipulated time and the role of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) made this paper imperative. The major focus of this work is to look at the way forward by using ICT to actualize the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Nigeria. This paper understudied the key challenges and uses of ICTs to drive the achievement of the MDGs with a specific focus on poverty eradication, education, gender equality, health, and environmental sustainability.

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Using Information and Communication
Technologies (ICT) to Actualize the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs) in Nigeria: A Mission
yet Accomplished
Okwubunne Anthony Chukwudi, Mabude Charles Nnamdi, Ejiata Godbless Chukwudi, Okorhi Johnson Ojiyowvi
Abstract— Since the introduction of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) at the United Nations Millennium submit held in September 2000 by the
193 United Nations, Nigeria and other member countries have been working assiduously to meet up with the 2015 target date as agreed by the UN as-
sembly. The question of how the MDGs can be achieved within the stipulated time and the role of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in
achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) made this paper imperative. The major focus of this work is to look at the way forward by using
ICT to actualize the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Nigeria. This paper understudied the key challenges and uses of ICTs to drive the
achievement of the MDGs with a specific focus on poverty eradication, education, gender equality, health, and environmental sustainability.
Index Terms— Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Nigeria, Target, United Nations
——————————  ——————————
1 INTRODUCTION
Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) can be an
extremely powerful enabler in efforts to bring positive and
sustainable development to countries around the globe [1],
amidst this, Planners, policy makers and researchers hold
highly polarised and equivocal views on the diffusion of In-
formation and Communication Technology (ICT), its role in
promoting objectives such as poverty alleviation, universal
education, reduction in mortality and health hazards, and sus-
tainable development, and in bridging the digital as well as
socio-economic divides in the world [2]. It is pertinent to note
that ICTs are making dynamic changes in society. They are
influencing all aspects of life [3]. Tinio [4] states the potentials
of ICT as follows:
ICTs greatly facilitate the acquisition and absorption of
knowledge, offering developing countries unprecedented op-
portunities to enhance educational systems, improve policy
formulation and execution, and widen the range of opportuni-
ties for business and the poor. One of the greatest hardships
endured by the poor, and by many others, who live in the
poorest countries, in their sense of isolation, and ICTs can
open access to knowledge in ways unimaginable not long ago.
As described in [5], ICTs have revolutionized the way peo-
ple work today and this is a sufficient reason for ICTs to win
global recognition and attention. For instance, ICTs are de-
pendable tools in facilitating the attainment of the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs).
Though ICTs play significant roles in representing equaliza-
tion strategy for developing countries, the reality of the digital
divide (i.e. the gap between those who have access to, and
control technology and those who do not), make a huge dif-
ference in the use of ICTs. This means, that the introduction
and integration of ICTs at different levels and various goals of
MDGs is the most challenging undertaking. Failure to meet
the challenges would mean a further widening of the
knowledge gap and deepening of existing economic and social
inequalities among the developed and the developing coun-
tries [3].
1.1 The Concept of Information Communication
Technologies (ICT)
ICT is an acronym that stands for Information Communica-
tions Technology. There are different understandings of the
concept “ICT” and as such authors have given their different
definitions of ICT which includes:
Blurton [6] sees ICT as “a diverse set of technological tools
and resources used to communicate, and to create, dissemi-
nate, store, and manage information while [7] sees it as “the
use of information in order to meet human need or purpose
including reference to the use of contemporary devices such as
the Internet”.
The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Devel-
opment (OECD in 1998) defines ICT as the combination of
manufacturing and services industries that capture, transmit,
————————————————
• Okwubunne , Anthony Chukwudi is a Scientific Officer II with National Centre
for Technology Management, an Agency of the Federal Ministry of Science &
Technology, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria and is
currently pursuing masters degree program in the Department of Computer
Science and Engineering, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State,
Nigeria. E-mail: tonyblaze06@yahoo.com
• Mabude, Charles Nnamdi is currently pursuing masters degree program in the
Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Obafemi Awolowo Univer-
sity, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria. E-mail: mabudecharles@rocketmail.com
• Ejiata, Godbless Chukwudi is currently pursuing masters degree program in
the Department of Food Science and Technology, Obafemi Awolowo Universi-
ty, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria. E-mail: mailgodbless@yahoo.com
• Okorhi, Johnson Ojiyowvi is a Senior Scientific Officer with the National Cen-
tre for Technology Management, an Agency of the Federal Ministry of Science
& Technology, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria and
is currently pursuing his doctoral study in Technology Management at the In-
stitute of Engineering, Technology and Innovation Management (METI), Uni-
versity of Port-Harcourt, Nigeria. E-mail: okorhi4oj@yahoo.com
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display data and information electrically [8] and [9] defines it
as the study or business of developing and using technology
to process information and aid communications.
In all these differing definitions of ICTs from various scholars,
an attempt to provide a more comprehensive definition of
ICT, United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Or-
ganisation UNESCO (2006) gives the definition as forms of
technology that are used to transmit, store, create, share or
exchange information (cited by [11]). Jimoh and Salawu [11]
further stated that this broad definition of ICT includes such
technologies as radio, television, video, DVD, telephone (both
fixed line and mobile phones), satellite systems, computers,
internet, hardware and software as well as the equipment as-
sociated with these technologies such as video conferencing,
electronic mail, online banking, electronic commerce, etc.
From all indications, ICT (information and communica-
tions technology - or technologies) is an umbrella term that
includes any communication device or application, encom-
passing: radio, television, cellular phones, computer and net-
work hardware and software, satellite systems and so on, as
well as the various services and applications associated with
them, such as videoconferencing and distance learning [12].
ICTs are often spoken of in a particular context, such as ICTs
in education, health care, rural development, or libraries and
as such this paper is properly placed. Therefore, this paper
shall explore the roles of this technology products or tools in
order to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
in Nigeria.
From all the definitions above, we can define Information
and Communication Technologies (ICT) to include all the ac-
tivities associated with information gathering, Information
storage, Information Management, Information dissemination
or communication, and the technologies that enable all these.
Thus, the role of ICT in actualizing the MDGs would imply
how the application or integration of these items listed under
ICT definition in the preceding sentence above, in the national
agenda, would ensure significant national development.
2 Outline of MDGs
At the United Nations Millennium submit held in September
2000, World leaders agreed to a set time-bound and measura-
ble goals and targets. In the end, there are eight (8) goals,
eighteen (18) targets and forty-four (44) indicators. The es-
sence of these goals is summarized in table 1 below:
The aim of the MDGs which were agreed upon by all the
193 United Nations member states including Nigeria and at
least 23 international organizations is to achieve these goals by
the year 2015; to encourage development by improving social
and economic conditions in the world’s poorest countries [13].
Hence this paper shall explore how ICT can be used to achieve
each of the goals.
3 THE ROLE OF ICT IN ACHIEVING MDGS
3.1 The Role of ICT to Goal 1
So far, government has made substantial input towards
achieving this goal through deregulation of the telecom indus-
try. This has led to reasonable proportion of Nigeria’s popula-
tion moving into the telecom sector either as importers of tele-
com equipment, distributors, retailers, maintenance engineers,
marketers, etc. Each of these constitute job field that can ac-
commodate many people, thereby increasing income base
which implies elimination of extreme poverty and hunger. On
the other hand, the existence of the internet has also increased
access to market since a lot of products and services can now
be accessed over the internet as against the traditional mar-
kets.
3.2 The Role of ICT to Goal 2
ICT can be adapted into the educational system through digit-
izing of teaching techniques. Audio enabled textbooks and
other relevant study materials can be utilized to enhance un-
derstanding.
ICT can be very useful in carrying out a survey to deter-
mine what percentage of the population is educated and vice
versa. Data mining techniques can be applied to come up with
information that could be useful for government decision
making which could increase government’s budgeting in the
area of education. ICT also broadens sources of quality educa-
tional materials and resources.
3.3 The Role of ICT to Goal 3
The normal mobile phones, computer systems, televisions,
and other electronic gadgets which are ICT tools are not gen-
der discriminatory. This shows in one way that ICT promotes
gender equality. However, this ICT equipment like the televi-
sion through the media can be very useful by initiation of
awareness programs that promote gender equality.
The man power for the use of the ICT equipment can be made
unisex such that jobs created around this area can accommo-
date both men and women. Thus through ICT, jobs are created
for women without any disparity. Also, ICT provides equal
rights among men and women as there is no restriction in its
mode of operation.
3.4 The Role of ICT to Goal 4, 5 And 6
The advent of mobile communications, teleconferencing facili-
ties and multi-media capabilities of ICTs, have been of tre-
mendous benefit in healthcare delivery. Thus, spatial differ-
ences between medical specialists, medical centers and pa-
tients have been eliminated. It has now become a common
phenomenon for doctors on call duty not to be restricted to
their homes waiting for a call or within the coverage distance
of a local paging facility. Today the doctor on call can move
freely with his mobile phone and can easily be reached, in case
of an emergency, to give initial instructions on how to manage
the patient while he is on his way to the hospital if necessary.
With broadband facilities and video conferencing, doctors in
one part of the country, or in any part of the world for that
matter, can consult with other specialists in any part of the
world on any medical case of interest.
The existence of health information system has been useful
in the management of health care records and services. ICTs
increase access of rural care-givers to specialist support
and remote diagnosis, and enhance delivery of basic and in-
service training for health workers as well as increase monitor-
ing and information-sharing on disease and famine [14].
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3.5 The Role of ICT to Goal 7
The existence of remote sensing technologies and communica-
tions networks assists in more effective monitoring, resource
management, mitigation of environmental risks.
ICT can also help to ensure greater transparency and moni-
toring of environmental abuses/enforcement of environmen-
tal regulations; Facilitate knowledge exchange and networking
among policy makers, practitioners and advocacy groups.
3.6 The Role of ICT to Goal 8
ICT enable LDCs, landlocked countries and small islands to
link up with the global market to accelerate their progression
and full integration into the world economy through the use
of internet and searchlight services.
Distance working facilitated by ICT opens up opportuni-
ties to create service-sector jobs in developing countries in
such industries as call centers, data entry and processing, and
software development and telecentres create direct employ-
ment for men and women as well as improve youth learning
skills, employability to meet the challenges of the knowledge-
based global economy.
4 GOVERNMENTS’ EFFORTS
In an attempt to actualize the MDGs, the three (3) tiers of gov-
ernment in Nigeria have been working tirelessly towards
achieving it. Committees that have been setup to meet-up with
the health needs of Nigerians includes Local Action Commit-
tee on Aids (LACA), State Action Committee on Aids (SACA),
National Action Committee on Aids (NACA), National Health
Insurance Scheme (NHIS), etc. For poverty reduction, the Fed-
eral, State and Local government formed National Economic
Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS), State
Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (SEEDS)
and with the help of UNDP drafted Local Economic Empow-
erment & Development Strategy (LEEDS) to help provide
strategies in reducing poverty and empowerment pro-
grammes to aid in reaching the rural communities in Nigeria.
Government has also embarked on massive construction and
renovation of schools (Education sector), hospitals and provi-
sion of portable water supply (Environmental Sustainability)
to various villages, towns and recruitment of primary school
teachers through Federal Teachers Scheme (FTS) throughout
the states of the federation.
With the policies (efforts) of Nigerian government, the tel-
ecommunication industry has been revolutionized [15] and
this has helped in connecting more Nigerians to the interna-
tional community through the introduction of a number of
private telecommunication operators licenced to provide both
mobile and broadband services. This in return has created
more employment opportunities for both men and women
alike. The banking sector was not left out in that the twenty-
five (25) Nigerian banks are connected to the internet such that
their customers can have access to the Internet Banking system
that provides wide variety of banking options.
5 RECOMMENDATION AND CONCLUSION
5.1 Recommendation
There is need to employ the expertise of a systems analyst to
understudy how ICT can be effectively implemented in re-
mote areas especially those areas that feel that ICT impacts
negatively on their culture and values. The inhabitants of
these areas need to be acculturated into the ICT world for
them to embrace the associated development. Therefore, while
we support extensive use of ICT to achieve the MDGs, we
admonish that government should adopt policies that sup-
press the negative trends associated with ICT such that the
culture and values of the people would not be threatened by
the implementation of ICT strategies.
There is also need to introduce user friendly and interac-
tive ICT tools for learning e.g. audio enable textbooks. ICT
enabled entertainment can be deployed to serve as a means of
relaxation to ease off tension, and make the people happy be-
cause a happy mind can actually translate to a productive
mind.
5.2 Conclusion
This paper has identified the nexus between the deployment
of and exploitation of ICTs in realizing the achievement of the
MDGs. Therefore public private partnership should be pur-
sued in order to achieve the MDGs in Nigeria by 2015.
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TABLE 1
MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS, TARGETS AND INDICATORS
SOURCE: UNITED NATIONS (2000)
GOALS
TARGETS
INDICATORS
Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
Target 1A: Halve between 1990 and 2015 the proportion of
people whose income is less than USD 1 a day
Target 1B: Achieve full and productive employment and
decent work for all, including wo men and young people
Target 1C: Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of
people who suffer from hunger
1. Proportion of population below $1 (1993 PPP) per day (World Bank)
2. Poverty gap ratio [incidence x depth of poverty] (World Bank)
3. Share of poorest quintile in national consumption (World Bank)
Prevalence of underweight children under five years of age (UNICEF-WHO)
5. Proportion of population below minimum level of dietary energy con-
sumption (FAO)
Goal 2: Achieve universal primary Education
Target 2A: Ensure that by 2015 children everywhere, boys
and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of prima-
ry schooling
6. Net enrolment ratio in primary education (UNESCO)
7. Proportion of pupils starting grade 1 who reach grade 5 (UNESCO)
8. Literacy rate of 15-24 year-olds (UNESCO)
Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women
Target 3A: Eliminate gender disparity in primary and sec-
ondary education preferably by
2005, and at all levels of education no later than 2015
9. Ratio of girls to boys in primary, secondary and tertiary education
(UNESCO)
10. Ratio of literate women to men, 15-24 years old (UNESCO)
11. Share of women in wage employment in the non-agricultural sector (ILO)
12. Proportion of seats held by women in national parliament (IPU)
Goal 4: Reduce child mortality
Target 4A: Reduce by two-thirds between 1990 and 2015 the
under-five mortality rate (U5MR)
13. Under-five mortality rate (UNICEF-WHO)
14. Infant mortality rate (UNICEF-WHO)
15. Proportion of 1 year-old children immunized against measles (UNICEF-
WHO)
Goal 5: Improve maternal health
Target 5A: Reduce by three-quarters, between 1990 and 2015,
the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR)
Target 5B: Achieve universal access to reproductive health by
2015
16. Maternal mortality ratio (UNICEF-WHO)
17. Proportion of births attended by skilled health personnel (UNICEF-
WHO)
Goal 6: Combat HIV, AIDS, malaria, and other major diseases
Target 6A: Have halted by 2015, and begun to reverse, the
spread of HIV/AIDS
Target 6B: Achieve by 2010 universal access to treatment for
HIV/AIDS for all those who need it
Target 6C:
Have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the
incidence of malaria and other major diseases
18. HIV prevalence among pregnant women aged 15-24 years (UNAIDS-
WHO-UNICEF)
19. Condom use rate of the contraceptive prevalence rate (UN Population
Division)
19a. Condom use at last high-risk sex (UNICEF-WHO)
19b. Percentage of population aged 15-24 years with comprehensive correct
knowledge of HIV/AIDS (UNICEF-WHO)
19c. Contraceptive prevalence rate (UN Population Division)
20. Ratio of school attendance of orphans to school attendance of non-orphans
aged 10-14 years (UNICEF-UNAIDS-WHO)
21. Prevalence and death rates associated with malaria (WHO)
22. Proportion of population in malaria-risk areas using effective malaria
prevention and treatment measures (UNICEF-WHO)
23. Prevalence and death rates associated with tuberculosis (WHO)
24. Proportion of tuberculosis cases detected and cured under DOTS (interna-
tionally recommended TB control strategy) (WHO)
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Goal 7: Ensure environmental Sustainability
Target 7A: Integrate the principles of sustainable develop-
ment into country policies and programs and reverse the loss
of environmental resources
Target 7B: Reduce biodiver
sity loss, achieving, by 2010, a
significant reduction in the rate of loss
Target 7C: Halve, by 2015, the proportion of people without
sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation
Target 7D: By 2020 to have achieved a significant improve-
ment in the lives of at least
100 million slum dwellers
25. Proportion of land area covered by forest (FAO)
26. Ratio of area protected to maintain biological diversity to surface area
(UNEP-WCMC)
27. Energy use (kg oil equivalent) per $1 GDP (PPP) (IEA, World Bank)
28. Carbon dioxide emissions per capita (UNFCCC, UNSD) and consumption
of ozone-depleting CFCs (ODP tons) (UNEP-Ozone Secretariat)
29. Proportion of population using solid fuels (WHO)
30. Proportion of population with sustainable access to an improved water
source, urban and rural (UNICEF-WHO)
31. Proportion of population with access to improved sanitation, urban and
rural (UNICEF-WHO)
32. Proportion of households with access to secure tenure (UN-HABITAT)
Goal 8: Develop a global partnership for development
Target 8A: Develop further an open, rule-based, predictable,
non-discriminatory trading and financial system
Target 8B: Address the special needs of the least developed
countries
Target 8C: Address the special needs of Landlocked Develop-
ing Countries (LLDCs) and
Small Island Developing States (SIDS)
33. Net ODA, total and to LDCs, as percentage of OECD/Development Assis-
tance Committee (DAC) donors' gross national income (GNI)(OECD)
34. Proportion of total bilateral, sector-allocable ODA of OECD/DAC donors
to basic social services (basic education, primary health care, nutrition, safe
water and sanitation) (OECD)
35. Proportion of bilateral ODA of OECD/DAC donors that is untied (OECD)
36. ODA received in landlocked developing countries as a proportion of their
GNIs (OECD)
37. ODA received in small island developing States as proportion of their
GNIs (OECD)
38. Proportion of total developed country imports (by value and excluding
arms) from developing countries and from LDCs, admitted free of duty
(UNCTAD, WTO, WB)
39. Average tariffs imposed by developed countries on agricultural products
and textiles and clothing from developing countries (UNCTAD, WTO, WB)
40. Agricultural support estimate for OECD countries as percentage of their
GDP (OECD)
41. Proportion of ODA provided to help build trade capacity (OECD, WTO)
Debt sustainability
42. Total number of countries that have reached their Heavily Indebted Poor
Countries Initiative (HIPC) decision points and number that have reached
their HIPC completion points (cumulative) (IMF - World Bank)
43. Debt relief committed under HIPC initiative (IMF-World Bank)
44. Debt service as a percentage of exports of goods and services (IMF-World
Bank)
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