Abstract

This study employs social network analysis (SNA) to examine the impact of Nigeria's local content development (LCD) policy on higher education institutions (HEIs), specifically focusing on employment and training. Drawing from a multiplicity of stakeholders identified, these were subjected to critical scrutiny and seven key stakeholders were selected: the Federal Government, HEI lecturers, students, young employees, the Nigerian University Commission (NUC), the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), and industry players from both multinational and indigenous oil and service companies. Using documentary evidence and 32 semi-structured interviews, the study found a significant gap between HEL and FGN, however, there appears to be close ties with HEL and other stakeholder groups and the same is the case with FGN. Betweenness centrality values ranged from 0.0 to 1.417, with an overall network density of 76%, positioning the Federal Government as a central broker. However, a 24% residual unconnectedness suggests significant gaps in stakeholder relationships, corroborated by interview responses. These findings underscore critical implications for the development of Nigeria’s HEI sector and the broader scope of policy implementation, highlighting the necessity for enhanced stakeholder collaboration to fulfil the LCD policy’s objectives as per the NOGIC Act.

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