Comparison and Contrast: Ghana and Nigeria

by Stacy Torian

Table 3: Ghana and Nigeria statistics

Statistic Ghana Nigeria

Surface area (square km)
238,500 923,800
Population
Total 27,499,924 190,632,261
0-14 years (% of population) 38 43
15-24 years (% of population) 19 20
25-54 (% of population) 34 31
55-64 (% of population) 5 4
65 + (% of population) 4 3

Rural (% of population) 45 51
Urban (% of population) 55 49

Religious affiliation (% of population)

Christian 71 40
Muslim 17.6 50
Traditional, Indigenous, or Other 6 10
None 5.2 Not known

Life expectancy (in years)

Total 67 53.8
Male 64.5 52.8
Female 69.6 55

Literacy
Total 76.6 59.6
Male (% of population) 82 69.2
Female (% of population) 71.4 49.7

Education (net enrollment %)

Primary total net enrollment % 84.6 64.1
Male 85.3 69.9
Female 83.9 58.1
 A COMPARATIVE STUDY: NIGERIA AND GHANA 2

Secondary total net enrollment % 52.6 *

Male 52.3 *
Female 52.9 *
Tertiary total net enrollment % 16.07 10.2
Male 18.65 12
Female 13.37 8.3

Libraries
Public 62 316
Community 195 n/a
School 6,918 107
University** 222 89
GDP (in billions; U.S. dollars)
42.80 404.65

Poverty level (national) %

Total 24.2 *
Urban 10.6 *
Rural 37.9 *

*Reliable data not available

**In the case of Ghana, this number might
include not only university libraries, but other
types of academic libraries.

Data from World Bank (2018)-surface area; rural and urban populations percentages; GDP; CIA

World Factbook (2018)-total population; religious affiliation; life expectancy; literacy; UNESCO

Institute for Statistics (2018)-education; IFLA World Report: Ghana (2010)-libraries (Ghana,

public, school, and community); Library Map of the World (n.d.)-libraries (Ghana, academic);

IFLA/FAIFE World Report: Nigeria (2007)-libraries (Nigeria, school and university); Access to

and Use of Public Library Services in Nigeria (2017)-libraries (Nigeria, public); The Ghana

Poverty and Inequality Report: Using the 6th Ghana Living Standards Survey (2016)-poverty

levels (Ghana)
 A COMPARATIVE STUDY: NIGERIA AND GHANA 3

Summary

In his writing about the role of libraries in developing nations, O.O. Ogundipe (1994)

noted that “[t]he library as an instrument of education is more functional, more deliberate, and

more conscious of its objective as opposed to being the almost silent and insidious tool of

general education in the more developed societies. The need for libraries in educational

institutions is more important because suitable alternative resources may not be available.”

While I would argue that many of the United States’ public libraries also fit the “more functional,

more deliberate, and more conscious” description, I understand his point. Unlike many Western

libraries, libraries in countries like Nigeria and Ghana do not have the luxury of being mere book

repositories or study centers. A recurring theme in all of the LIS articles I read by Nigerian and

Ghanaian LIS scholars is that of the library as a vehicle of social uplift. While librarians in

Nigeria and Ghana are clearly concerned about the impact of technology on the LIS profession

and the role of the library in the academy, their scholarship is less myopic, in many cases, than

what one might see in a Western country, where a certain level of library access and

technological capacity among patrons is (rightly or wrongly) assumed. Even when writing about

technical issues, Nigerian and Ghanaian librarians often reference the broader topic of why

libraries are important and the role libraries play in improving people’s lives.

The library systems in Ghana and Nigeria have followed similar historical trajectories. In

both countries, library development and training were deeply influenced by the British library

systems. While this “diffusion of innovations” (Lor, in prep.) helped get the library systems up

and running in both countries, the focus on English-language resources and Western

information-sharing practice (i.e. through print) has made it difficult for librarians to make inroads

in indigenous communities with primarily oral traditions. On the other hand, the historic ties with

British may have been what helped Nigeria gain British financial support for the launching of

children’s summer reading programs in Lagos (Simisaye & Quadri, 2010).

 A COMPARATIVE STUDY: NIGERIA AND GHANA 4

Other outside influences have proved crucial as well. UNESCO, for example, played a

seminal role in the establishment of the West Africa Library Association and both countries’ first

library schools. Nonprofit organizations, foundations, and private citizens also provided critical

support. Unfortunately, the support received over the years has not been enough to offset the

challenges that both countries’ libraries have faced. As in many developing countries, illiteracy

and the rural urban divide in literacy, education, and internet connectivity remain formidable

issues for librarians in Ghana and Nigeria. Other priorities. such as poverty, have greatly

overshadowed library concerns in both countries. Library training is available in both countries,

but it is not accessible to everyone. Tough economic conditions have made it difficult for

librarians in both countries to do their jobs and for patrons to benefit.

That said, there have been notable successes. Ghana has harnessed the power of

national collectivism to move the nation forward, achieving gender parity in primary and

secondary education, even though rural-urban divides persist. Nigeria has a strong professional

library association that is a powerful lobbying force in the country. Both countries have digitized

institutional repositories, and Nigeria has been making strides in scholarly open access

publishing (Okojie, 2014). Although the libraries in both countries are struggling, they are

functioning and striving to improve their technological capacities. On a broader level, the life

expectancy in both countries is increasing. This is so important, because a longer life means

more time to work, get educated, and contribute to the economy. It also indicates an

improvement in health outcomes, which has a positive impact on all aspects of life, including

education, literacy, and library usage.

Given the lack of government funding for libraries in both countries, it is understandable

that both Nigeria’s and Ghana’s systems would be facing significant obstacles to growth. Still,

when one considers the wealth of Nigeria relative to Ghana’s, and the assertiveness of the
 A COMPARATIVE STUDY: NIGERIA AND GHANA 5

country’s library association, it seems that Nigeria should be much further along than Ghana in

terms of library development rather than lagging behind. Why are they not?

A review of Nigeria’s cultural and political landscape may help answer this question.

Religious divisions in Nigeria can be intense, especially in the North with the presence of Boko

Haram. Political battles have been contentious as well, starting with the civil war of 1967-1970,

and followed by military rule and fraudulent elections (Falola 21-22). In my opinion, there are

two ways in which these conflicts have had a major negative impact on libraries. First, the

religious tensions have led the government to allow significant state autonomy in legal matters.

This gives the states significant control over what goes on in the public sector, including in

educational venues like libraries. In the Muslim states, where religious norms might be

restrictive, library resources may be more limited, and women may not have consistent and

frequent access to the resources that are available. Secondly, both religious and political

tensions, like other concerns, have distracted attention away from education policy in general

and library policy in particular.

Aside from all of this, Nigeria is just a really big country. Although it has tremendous oil

wealth and has a GDP 10 times that of Ghana, its GDP still dwarfs in comparison to that of

developed countries, such as Canada or the United States. Because Nigeria is roughly four

times larger in size than Ghana, its infrastructure challenges are likely much greater.

On the other hand, Nigeria has clearly “outstripped” Ghana in certain ways, most notably

in its successful effort to establish a national library. This success is owed in large part to the

work of the country’s library association. Boasting over 5,000 members, the Nigeria Library

Association has been outspoken and active not only nationally but internationally. The strength

of the association is not surprising, given that Nigeria has over a dozen library schools in

comparison to Ghana’s one (Diso & Njoku, 2007; Alemna, 1991, p. 408). Thanks largely to the

work of the NLA, Nigeria also has a formal library certification agency (LCRN). As far as I can
 A COMPARATIVE STUDY: NIGERIA AND GHANA 6

tell, no comparable agency exists in Ghana, though I cannot be entirely sure, as not all

information about Ghana’s library administration is available online.

Ghanaian and Nigerian librarians know what needs to be done, but they lack the means

with which to do it all. Meanwhile, they should continue to write about the need for increased

funding and advocate for it at the state and local levels. They should also maintain and, if

possible, expand their current outreach efforts to marginalized persons. Women, people with

HIV, and LGBT persons are just some of the individuals who may be missing out on services in

some areas due to longstanding beliefs and prejudices. Ghana’s government was right to speak

out against LGBT violence (Human Rights Watch, 2018a). In Nigeria, the National Library and

NLA have organized HIV awareness programs, and some libraries have designated library days

for women (IFLA, 2007). Social attitudes remain entrenched, however, and more needs to be

done.

Another group that needs more attention in both countries are those who do not read

and who receive their information primarily via audiovisual media. While illiteracy needs to be

addressed, the value of non-print media should not be underestimated. Carroll et al. (2013) and

Ogundipe (1994) have stressed the depth of African oral culture. Perhaps librarians in Nigeria

and Ghana could capture this through a shared oral library. They both have interest in

digitization and could work together to create one or several digital collections. Others in the

region could get involved as well. Having a shared database could lighten some of the

individual-country cost burden of setting up a digital library. Foundation funding or NGO funding

could perhaps be secured for the venture as well, if government funding is not available. Select

holdings of the oral library could be played on weekly or monthly radio programs.

Important health initiatives have been undertaken in both countries and, of course,

should continue. Many Ghanaians and Nigerians are dying at midlife, which is the time when

they could be contributing the most to society in terms of professional experience and life
 A COMPARATIVE STUDY: NIGERIA AND GHANA 7

perspective. While it would be easy to say that healthcare spending should take precedence

over library spending, the reality is not that simple. People need both mental and physical

sustenance to remain healthy. Education conveyed through libraries and schools complements

good healthcare in that it can cultivate the awareness that motivates people to engage in

healthy behaviors. Health and education funding should be tied in together in some way.

Reflection

When I began this project, I was concerned that I would only come across literature

about and not by Nigerian and Ghanaian librarians. I have since been floored by the depth and

breadth of the research by these professionals. The fact that I was surprised at the amount of

Nigerian- and Ghanaian-authored articles I found speaks to my ignorance and Western bias. I

had not thought of Ghana and Nigeria as being hotbeds of LIS scholarship, because I had not

been exposed to their work, and because I tend to think about African libraries in terms of the

challenges they face (which are substantial), rather than in terms of their successes, their

scholarship, and their dedication (which are equally substantial). During the course of this study,

my thinking became more nuanced and less negative, though I still worry that my research on

and perceptions of Ghanaian and Nigerian libraries is too focused on “deficiencies.”

Fortunately, Ghanaian and Nigerian librarians are using their web presences to preserve

their history and communicate their accomplishments. The GLA and the NLA websites each

contain their organizations’ founding stories, along with listings of their organizations’

achievements. It is important that they highlight their successes, as they certainly cannot rely on

others to do it for them. The news is full of stories reflecting how disappointed some people are

with African countries. One thing that kept coming into my mind as I wrote this paper is how

demoralizing it must be to always hear people talk about how poor one’s country is and how

many challenges one’s country is facing. If I were the person in charge of administering the

services in a Ghanaian or Nigerian library, how would I respond to those criticisms internally and
 A COMPARATIVE STUDY: NIGERIA AND GHANA 8

publicly? Would I get depressed and blame myself? Would I get angry with the critics, many of

whom hail from the very countries whose citizens and governments are contributing to and

sustaining vast global inequities?

In his article “Aid to Libraries: Policies and Trends,” David Clow (1986) stated that most

aid projects seem to fail (p. 109) -- but who determines what it means to fail? Is it a failure when

the outcomes expected by the aid-granting country or organization do not come to pass? What

if their objectives are realized, but only a small group in the developing country benefits? Part of

the problem may be that success is often seen as a defined end goal rather than a long journey

toward the growth and autonomy of a community or a nation. The latter type of success is not

easy to measure, and it is the kind of success that usually entails a lot of small-scale failures

along the way.

In his 1994 article “International and Comparative Librarianship in Developing

Countries,” library director O. O. Ogundipe stated “The concept of librarianship in Africa, the

developing countries, or the Third World is not fundamentally different from that in the

developed or other parts of the world, but often the differences, perhaps because they are

unusual when seen out of their context, are overemphasized and harped upon to the neglect of

the common bonds that unite all libraries in one world of librarianship” (p. 236). This quote

spoke to me more than any other I came across during the entire course of this research

project, and indeed during this class. Like librarians in the West, librarians in Nigeria and Ghana

want their patrons to be empowered with the knowledge they need to be informed, productive

citizens. One of the essential premises of the capability approach to research – that the

“freedom to achieve well-being is to be understood in terms of people's capabilities, that is, their

real opportunities to do and be what they have reason to value” (Robeyns, 2016) – underlay

much, if not all, of the scholarly research I read for this project. Nigerian and Ghanaian librarians
 A COMPARATIVE STUDY: NIGERIA AND GHANA 9

clearly understand that library development means nothing if it does not result in widespread

education and community building.

Nigerian and Ghanaian librarians face challenges much greater than those that many

Western librarians face, but the challenges are by no means unrelatable to Western realities.

Ogundipe (1994) very rightly pointed out that Western librarians would do well to pay attention

to the concerns of developing country librarians in rural areas, as several of the librarianship

obstacles present in rural areas manifest themselves in the low-income areas, minority groups,

and immigrant populations of Western urban areas (p. 241). I would add that there are also

many parallels between the service obstacles of developing countries and those present in the

rural areas of the United States. As a U.S. Southerner who has had relatives who were either

illiterate or only semi-literate, I grew up seeing the reality of illiteracy in the South and how

devastating an impact it can have on a person’s life chances. Later, as a rural library outreach

volunteer, I encountered patrons who were unable to drive to the library that was literally

minutes away from them, due to job constraints and health issues. As I reflect on these

situations, the recent United Nations report on poverty in the United States (Alston, 2018), and

what I have read about the challenges of providing library service to rural areas of developing

countries, I find myself agreeing more and more with Ogundipe’s advice. The United States

could learn much not only from Ghana’s librarians, but from the Ghanaian government’s largely

successful poverty reduction efforts and persistent initiatives to expand public education. This

work, already commendable, is made even more impressive by the fact that the Ghanaian

government is doing it all with a budget a fraction of the size of that of the United States and its

other so-called developed country counterparts.

I am coming away from this comparative study with a deeper knowledge of the work of

Ghanaian and Nigerian librarians and for a strong respect for the comparative method. The

method is every bit as rigorous as Dr. Miller said it was, from both a research and a logistical
 A COMPARATIVE STUDY: NIGERIA AND GHANA 10

standpoint. I am glad I did not know just how much work the project would entail, or else I might

not have signed up for the course at all during the summer – and would probably have missed

taking it altogether. If I had it to do over, I would allocate more time for research and the

organizing of data. Other than that, there is not much I would change. Doing this study and

taking this class expanded my vision of librarianship and deepened my awareness of its

transformative potential.
 A COMPARATIVE STUDY: NIGERIA AND GHANA 11

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