PUBLIC ENTERPRISE, 2016, ISSUE 22., VOL.1, ARTICLE 1

The operation of public enterprises and their capability to work to enhance the competitiveness of a nation’s economy in an efficient and effective manner is quite controversial. The discussion has become more intense and wide-spread as the necessity of competitiveness enhancement has increased in importance in recent years. In this paper we will examine the operation of public enterprises in two developing countries, Nigeria and India. Since these two countries are former colonies, economic activities have long been seen as being directed from out of the country and not always in the interests of the country. In recent decades, however, as independent countries each has worked to have its public enterprises operate more in line with the needs of the country. In each country there have been some successes but performance has been short of what had been desired, although assistance to technological development and education have been relatively more successful. This sort of intervention has been shown to have been more suited to the level of the regional or the urban economy.