RELIGION AND DEVELOPMENT: THE CASE OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Nigeria is a pivotal country in Africa. Among other things, it occupies an important place in the socio-economic development of the continent. Unfortunately, the country has not lived up to its bidding. Despite huge resource endowments – human and natural –, Nigeria performs below expectation in development indices. With an average life expectancy at birth of 53.9 years, maternal mortality ratio of 814 per 100,000 live births, infant mortality rate of 66.9 per 1,000 live births and adult literacy (15 years and above) rate of 51.1% (United Nations Development Programme 2018), the country performs lower than some less endowed African countries on development indices.