The need for developing an OR/MS approach in Nigeria

It was not surprising that when one of the authors requested information and co-operation from a large public establishment in Nigeria for his Ph.D. programme in operational research that this request was turned down. The only reason given was that to give such help would not be in the interest of national security. Although the Ph.D. programme is to be undertaken in Britain, requests for co-operation and provision of data have also been refused to some other people carrying out their research in Nigeria. This has been one of many reasons why many Nigerians who have thought of the chronic poor performance of most of the parastatals in Nigeria, and have decided to make them case studies in their postgraduate programmes, could not carry out their proposals. This lack or unwillingness for co-operation have also marred many administrative inquiries set up to investigate these establishments. Corruption, inefficiency and mismanagement in these establishments have persisted and Nigeria’s dream of developing fully has continued to elude her. In this paper the authors discuss the need and the effort to put Nigeria on the journey to development by adopting the OR/MS approach in decision making in government and public establishments, and the implications of such a step.