THE ROLE OF BANKS IN INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT OF NIGERIA.

PROPOSAL

Industrialization is synonymous with the production of goods and services. For the benefit of this work, on industry could be defined as the sum total of firms producing a particular commodity. Commodity here includes both goods and services, thus, we have the banking industry, the food processing industry, the sugar processing industry, the tobacco manufacturing industry etc. Therefore, industrialization is the act of establishing different types of industries in the country for the purpose of stabilizing the Nation’s economy and ultimately improving the standard of living of its citizens.

Industrialization has been proved beyond doubts as very important for a nation’s survival therefore it is pertinent that we explicably manifest how the role of Banks can be employed for the development of these industries.

The role of Banks in industrial development of Nigeria could be seen through the various services which these banks provide for the sustenance of industrialization in the country. These services may include, the provision of capital for these industries in the form of term loans such as short term, medium and long-term loans which the industries could use to finance fixed assets. Also the bank provides overdraft facilities which are necessary to finance the working capital of the business.

Apart from granting loans and overdraft facilities, there are other roles which banks could play in the industrial development of Nigeria. These roles which include professional advice, leasing and factoring, also extend into invoice discounting, hire purchase, bill discounting services and above all the determination of the actual external funds required by a borrower. These are excepts of such services which help industrialization grow or expand.

The irrational problem of manpower requirement and the poor industrial knowledge of these industrialists help to compound the general problems of industrial development of which bank services can be gainfully employed for the purpose of solving them.

In all, these problems should be totally exterminated to ensure the steady growth of this all important sector of the economy.

The level of Banks industrial financing has been very poor. In increasing this level of financing, emphasis should be placed on medium and long-term loans so as to enable these industries concretize their investments for better results in the form of outputs.

CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Nigeria since the oil boom in the early 70’s has been a victim of a monolithic economy and since then has been enjoying the so called ‘Petro Naira’ without adequately evolving a sound policy that will keep the nation’s economy in a firm foundation for steady growth. Though the country recognized the importance of Industrialization as far back as 1964, yet when the ‘Petro Naira’ started flowing in, they were blindfolded as to ignore the importance of establishing industries to ensure a diversified economy. Now the ‘Petro Naira’ is no more, and the future outlook is bleak, the need for a diversified economy became the subject matter of many governmental policies and actions. This leads us to one of the ways for solving this problem and that is industrialization.

Apart from ensuring a diversified economy, industrialization also accelerates the economic development of a country; infact the basic premise is that if a country wishes to accelerate the overall rate of economic development, the country must have manufacturing production rising much faster than the overall rate of growth of the G.N.P. and this has to be reflected in an increasingly dominating role of manufacturing industry in the total economy.

Also, industrialization ensures export expansion and import contraction coupled with the fact that it stimulates foreign exchange earnings, international recognition and the provision of employment opportunities for the teeming population.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Banks supposed to have contributed immensely to the industrial development of Nigeria in various aspects. But the unawareness of the industrialists on the role of banks in industrial development pose a serious problem to the industrial development of Nigeria. The number of industrialists that make use of the services of the banks in their various firms is limited.

Again, most industrialists are not aware of the duties and responsibilities of the banks in the overall growth of their firms. The poor industrial knowledge of these industrialists help to compound the general problems of industrial development of which bank services can be gainfully employed for the purpose of solving them.

It has been noticed that the level of banks industrial financing has been very poor compared with what is obtain in industrialized nations.

This study will analyse in details the role of banks in industrial development of Nigeria.

1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

For a meaningful and adequate performance of banks to be achieved in industrial development of Nigeia. The researcher is set to achieve the following objectives:

i. To ascertain the need for Banks involvement in industrialization.

ii. To point out the roles of banks in industrial development.

iii. To evaluate the level of banks industrial financing in Nigeria

iv. To make recommendations based on the findings of the study.

1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study stressed that to achieve a meaningful industrial development, emphasis must be placed, on industrialization which is an aspect of economic diversification. The country is most likely to benefit from this study as follows:

i. Apart from ensuring a diversified economy, industrialization also accelerates the economic development of the country.

ii. Industrialization ensures export expansion and import contraction and also stimulates foreign exchange earnings, international recognition and provision of employment opportunities for the citizens.

iii. Industrialization helps in stabilizing the Nation’s economy and ultimately improves the standard of living of the citizens.