AFRICA AND DEVELOPMENT THEORIES: AN EXAMINATION OF THE CHINESE OPTION

Abstract

In terms of natural resources, Africa is the richest continent in the world. By all indices and indicators, Africa remains the poorest continent. Confronted with the issues of sustainable development; African countries were presented different theories of development, mostly by the capitalist western nations. Development theorists’ in Latin America and African scholars also theorized on the list of possible options to accelerate development in Africa. Yet none of these theories appear to be visible to lift African countries out of poverty and underdevelopment. In this contemporary era, some African countries practicalized the Chinese option as development strategy or patterns in development. This paper, attempts an examination of the Chinese option. It examines how viable this option may be for Africa with emphasis on Nigeria. The paper is purely a theoretical and or position paper. To this end therefore, it relies more on secondary sources and focus group discussion, as its method of research. This paper recommends for an effective Research and Development Unit for African countries. It de-emphasizes foreign loans and suggests delinking from the East and West as possible strategies to enhance development in Africa.