Paper short abstract:

This paper takes an indepth look at the nascent democracy in Nigeria vis-a-vis good governance. The paper argues that without good governance consolidated democracy will be a mirage after all.

Paper long abstract:

With Nigeria's tortuous democratic transition to the fourth republic on May 29, 1999 hopes were high once again about the possibility of the sustenance of democratic values in the country. However, so far, the snag is, the presence of civilian government but complete absence of good governance in all its ramifications. What a contradiction sort of? In the extant literature on democracy generally, without elements of good governance, the polity can not claim to be democratic. Exploring the nexus between good governance and democratic virtues, the UNDP in its 1997 reports came up with a catalogue of what it takes to sustain democracy. Of the lots, good governance features prominently. However, beyond mere theoretical postulations, this paper shall conceptualise good governance as 'governmental efficiency' in all its ramifications. To achieve this, the paper has been divided into a number of sections. With an introductory overview, the paper conceptualises democratic consolidation and good governance forming the theoretical anchor for the paper in part two. The third section takes a critical view of the daunting challenges facing Nigeria which perhaps rob it of the status of a state to be classified as one with good governance. The final part of the paper contains a number of policy options for the nascent democracy.

Keywords: Democracy, Good-governance, State, Economy, Governmental efficiency.