Veritatis Gaudium: Multidisciplinary Journal of Postgraduate Studies

Nigeria typifies the contradictions of countries in the Global South: rich crude oil reserves, vast and fertile agricultural land, and a majority youth population. However, the country is plagued with multidimensional poverty, especially in Northern Nigeria, environmental devastation by oil companies in the Niger Delta, over 40% youth unemployment, and growing emigration of professionals. Recent economic initiatives by the Nigerian government, often supported by global financial organizations and multinational companies, have failed to deliver economic sustainability and industrialization. These initiatives have been criticized by papal documents such as Evangelii Gaudium (2013) and Laudato Si (2015), and this has to be furthered by a vigorous social action by the Church in Nigeria. Indeed, the Catholic Social Teaching (CST) avers an efficacious moral and humanistic foundation for responding to the multiple challenges of poverty, violence, environmental exploitation, inequality, and political instability, which are endemic in the Global South. This paper investigates the application of CST principles, such as human dignity, solidarity, subsidiarity, fundamental option for the poor, right of workers, and integral ecology, to reflect on how they could create sustainable economic pathways in Nigeria. It specifically addresses the question: how can Catholic social teaching engender sustainable economic pathways in Nigeria? The paper recommends CST frameworks as an actionable path for socio-economic growth in Nigeria. These include: (i) Complete reordering of Nigeria’s political structure, beginning with a reformulation of the constitution consistent with the principles of social justice and common good, (ii) industrialization and aggressive agro-production to curb poverty and unemployment, and (iii) ethical resistance by Catholic leaders to Nigerian politicians and parties currently oppressing and exploiting Nigerians.

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