What are the 10 causes of underdevelopment?
What is Underdevelopment?
Underdevelopment refers to the low level of development characterized by low real per capita income, widespread poverty, lower level of literacy, low life expectancy, and underutilization of resources, etc. An underdeveloped economy fails to provide acceptable levels of living to a large fraction of its population.
This article will highlight the most important reasons African countries have not developed. It is an informative article that can help you understand more about this topic. It will also analyze how Africans can solve these problems and what needs to happen next.
In this article, you will know which factors have contributed to a lack of development in some African countries and how they can overcome these problems.
To some people the Underdevelopment refers to the low level of development characterized by low real per capita income, widespread poverty, lower level of literacy, low life expectancy, and underutilization of resources, etc.
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10 Causes of Underdevelopment
1. Corruption
1. Corruption: One of the biggest problems in Africa today is corruption. Corruption can take many forms, and it might be challenging to understand what counts as corruption and what does not.
In this context, I mean the abuse of a position of power by public officials for private interests or personal gain. This happens when people entrusted with power use their authority for their benefit.
When this happens, the government and people become disorganized and lose motivation to develop.
The problem here is that impoverished African governments can’t invest enough money into health care, education, infrastructure, etc. They need to use their already scarce resources on corruption, such as paying public officials salaries or funding more projects.
This kind of problem is widespread in the continent today, which causes underdevelopment in Africa.
2. Unemployment:This problem is very serious because if not enough people are employed, their contribution to the country’s development will slow down. The youth are unable to find jobs because of the high requirements and lack of work.
Not only the young people but also the older people who find it difficult to find a job are left unemployed when their knowledge and skills could have been extremely useful in the growth and development country.
Due to the unemployment rates, the GDP of Nigeria keeps reducing every year, which is one of the effects of underdevelopment in our country.
The solution to this problem would be easier than it seems – more job opportunities have to be created for the youth.
The problem of corruption should also be dealt with because it exists in large amounts in the job market and is closely connected to the unemployment rates.
3. Poor government policies: Many African governments have implemented policies that prevent the continent from developing.
In many cases, these governments have been responsible for the economic crises and political instability. Many Governments either fail or refuse to sustainably solve domestic problems, such as poverty, unemployment, and hunger.
This is because African countries often lack the resources needed to govern themselves effectively.
There are many civil servants in some African countries where the state is involved in every aspect of society. The result is terrible management or even incompetence because corruption hinders good governance.
4. Insufficient infrastructure: Most African countries have an insufficient infrastructure. This refers to roads, railways, and airports that are not adequate to allow trade or tourism. It’s also about having an electricity grid that allows the population to use appliances, such as washing machines and computers.
The lack of infrastructure in Africa today is a big obstacle for development because it limits people’s ability to do business across borders. This means there are fewer opportunities for work, which leads to unemployment and poverty throughout the continent.
5. High Levels of Illiteracy: Although there are many African countries where primary education is compulsory, this does not apply to secondary and tertiary education. Many parents do not send their children to school because they need them to work and contribute to the economy.
Many countries in Africa also have problems with teachers who are not adequately trained or paid enough money. This means that students do not receive proper lessons and can’t get a good education.
Illiteracy is common in Africa today, limiting the development of people throughout the continent.
6. Excessive Regulation: Many African countries have laws and regulations that make it hard for businesses to succeed (or even do business) throughout the continent. While these measures are designed to improve safety and the standard of living, they often have the opposite effect because they are poorly implemented or too strict.
The good news is that African leaders are aware of the problems in Africa today. They are gradually making improvements to make it easier for African countries to develop and become more competitive worldwide.
7. Insurgency:This is a very serious aspect of Nigeria’s underdevelopment. The insurgency of a jihadist group Boko Haram started in 2009 when they decided to rebel against the Nigerian government.
To this day, there is a huge tension in the country, because the Boko Haram insurgents are still active, and their violent actions lead to many deaths.
Boko Haram group is radically against Western values and education, and unfortunately, they demonstrate their beliefs mostly with violence against those who do not share them. They have officially been called one of the deadliest terrorist groups in the world, because of the number of people that they have murdered.
The insurgents can appear any time at and this is a major problem for those who want to make investments into the certain aspects of Nigeria’s development.
There are no guarantees of complete safety, especially if the investments were made in the north-eastern part of Nigeria. Therefore, people who want to invest are usually making their establishments outside Nigeria, because this choice seems much safer to them.
8. Insufficient Skilled Labour: Another cause of underdevelopment in Africa today is the lack of skilled workers. Most African countries do not have enough qualified teachers, doctors, engineers, etc., which means that many Africans cannot offer their services in these parts of society.
There are often too few job opportunities for well-qualified professionals to make a living in Africa today, so they must look elsewhere. This shortage also means that education and health care in Africa is often unsatisfactory.
9. Poor government policy implementation: There are a lot of policies in Nigeria that are technically supposed to improve the life of the local residents. They all look great on paper, but in practice, they have very little actual implementation. The result of it is the untimely ending of many projects that were designed for development because they have not moved on anywhere from the paperwork level. Government should take it under its own responsibility and watch over these policies, making sure that they were implemented and did not just stay on paper. It is the problem that the government should take immediate care of because there are so many potential improvements and so little implementation.
10. Lack of Political will: This is one of the significant causes of underdevelopment in Africa today. Many African governments are not fully committed to using the resources available to improve living conditions throughout the continent. This means that much-needed international aid money intended for development is misappropriated and used in dubious ways, or there may be a lack of investment in necessary infrastructure.
In addition, politicians sometimes misuse public funds when they are holding office. This often leads to a lack of transparency and undermines good governance, which is an essential factor in development on the continent today.
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Solutions to the 10 causes of underdevelopment in Africa
Underdevelopment in Africa will only end when African leaders do more to improve living conditions by working together and making political progress.
Worldwide, several organizations support African development. These organizations provide training for children in Africa, help create job opportunities, improve road safety, encourage good governance, and much more.
In addition to supporting these organizations, which help Africa today, you can support African countries by making an effort to buy and use products and services from the continent (or from Africans living in other countries).
This will make it easier for these businesses to improve their operations and provide more opportunities. It’s also an excellent way to show your support for African development!
Africans themselves need to be more involved in improving living conditions throughout the continent. They should make an effort to support good governance, create job opportunities, and ensure that they earn enough money for their families by working hard or starting their own business.
These are all ways that Africans can help fight underdevelopment in Africa today. These steps will also lead to more opportunities for Africans throughout the continent with time.
This is why it’s so important that African countries move forward with political and economic development initiatives and work together to improve the standard of living in Africa.
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