Thread by @AmujoTemitope

GROWING AFRICAN NATIONS THROUGH THE USER-CENTERED DEVELOPMENT APPROACH (UCDA): A 2023 TRANSITIONAL LESSON FOR NIGERIA

By - Tope Amujo (10:07:22)

As a UK-trained Development Finance Expert, financial analyst, industrialist, africapitalist and a user research consultant,

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I want to authoritatively posit that the solution to most under-developed or developing African nations is to adopt a user-centered evidence-based approach in delivering public services (digital or physical).

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Using Nigeria as a case study, with specific empahises on the 2023 transitional year, the best approach that any incoming government could adopt to fight the incessant poverty and economic down-turn is to adopt, a system I called the "user-centered development approach"...

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where the users are the people and their evidenced not perceived needs will be the priority of the leaders.

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...One of the reasons why most African nations failed to deliver a sustainable growth and development to its people is because of the "traditional intuitive leadership approach" that is usually based on what our leaders feel the people need without a conscious reasoning, ...

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and evidenced-based user research.

This has been the principal reasons why policy intents are not user-centered and not delivering the desired value.

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The fact that African leaders have strategic plans and policy thrust to liberate the continent from property cannot be gainsaid;

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but the lack of the essential 'user-centric element' that is needed to deliver realistic and sustainable result makes those policies a mere dream.

As Nigeria is transitioning to a new socio-political era in 2023, I have carefully observed, researched and now documenting

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some pre-discovery outputs that is germane for adoption by any incoming government to achieve result; which involves (1) putting the users and their needs first, (2) not basing their plans on assumptions/ intuition and (3) ensuring participatory evidence-based policy.

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While I continue documenting these findings, I have summarised this in a simple strategic flow-chart and mental model that empahises on the following (see my initial whiteboard sketch as attached);

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1. firstly consider developing a very strong and secured central digital database of the people and backlog of their needs to solve (don't assume you know their problems),

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2. building trust to attract foreign direct investment and leveraging on the strength of the remittances from migrant workers globally,
3. concentrating tge initial investment on food security (in terms of availability/affordability) ...

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and also to promote a working health system for the average Nigerians,
4. invest in human capital development (with focus on education, skills & technology),
5. support labour productivity and profitabibility which translates to improved living standard and per capita income.

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6. Having a good project plans for and implementation of point 1 - 5 will automatically increase growth, promote a working and self-funded system, reduce insecurity and strengthen overall security in the country.

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7. this is however conditional to the sincerity of purpose, and integrity of the leaders and the system (most especially the civil service; a reform of this won't be a bad idea).

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The fact remains that a working system is usually not an output of magic but strictly a function of strong user research, secured database, deliberate project planning beyong the policy, prompt/ sincere actions and effective delivery tracking.

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As you can see, security is really not our core problem, but principality the need for database, food, health and education. This require a critical 'pre-discovery effort by any incoming government before any transformation plan is put to action.

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How can this be done? ...watch out for part 2.

#TopeAMUJO
#people #food
#education #digital
#finremit #investment
#security #livingstandard

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